House Bill 1124

Chair's Name: Vance Smith

Committee: Transportation

House Sponsor: James Mills

HB 1124 makes change to the procedures for awarding DOT design-build contracts. Rather than being required to select the lowest qualified bidder, the new language would allow the selection of the bidder whose proposal best satisfies the evaluation criteria in the request for proposal. The department must make every reasonable effort to award the contract to firms that are based in this state. The Rules Committee substitute added additional language to clarify the preference provisions.

Finally, the bill requires that beginning in the fiscal year of 2009, DOT must report annually to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker, and legislative Transportation Committees on the its progress in design-build procedure. By 2010 the department should be using the procedure to award at least 5% of the monetary value of all of its construction contracts. By 2012, the percent should increase to at least 10%.

This Rules Committee substitute comes to the Floor under the Open Rule.

Chairman Smith’s Opinion of the legislation:

This legislation resulted from the Joint Study Committee on Transportation Funding.  It addresses a new approach to design-build contracts in hopes of bringing closer a agreement on designs and building processes.  It also requires the DOT to be responsible for not just choosing the lowest bidder, but choosing the most qualified. This legislation will also help raise the percentage of design-build projects in Georgia, as our state is only at a 1% rate.

This legislation:

Reduces the Tax Burden on our Citizens by lowering project costs as well as time delivery.  This would lower the tax burden and more efficiently finish projects so that businesses are not affected by drawn out road construction and maintenance.