SB770: Bill Text

LRB-5558/1

ZDW:kjf/amn/cdc

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 770

January 30, 2020 - Introduced by Senators Petrowski and Fitzgerald, cosponsored by Representatives Nygren and Vos. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs.

SB770,1,10 An Act to repeal 84.062 (1) (k) and 84.062 (5) (a) 2. d.; to renumber 84.062 (6) (f); to renumber and amend 84.062 (2); to amend 84.062 (1) (m), 84.062 (5) (a) 1. a., 84.062 (5) (a) 2. h., 84.062 (5) (a) 2. i., 84.062 (5) (a) 2. k., 84.062 (5) (b) and 84.062 (6) (a) 11.; and to create 84.062 (1) (f), 84.062 (1) (j), 84.062 (1) (L), 84.062 (1) (p), 84.062 (2) (b), 84.062 (2) (c), 84.062 (2) (d), 84.062 (3), 84.062 (4), 84.062 (5) (a) 2. f., 84.062 (5) (c), 84.062 (5) (d), 84.062 (6) (a) 14., 84.062 (6) (b), 84.062 (6) (c), 84.062 (6) (d), 84.062 (6) (e), 84.062 (7), 84.062 (8), 84.062 (11), 84.062 (13) and 84.062 (14) of the statutes; relating to: requirements for design-build transportation projects, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill makes numerous changes to the design-build method that the Department of Transportation is currently authorized to use for projects.

Under current law, the design and construction of projects are generally two distinct phases. Under this method, often referred to as “design-bid-build,” DOT has broad authority to accomplish the design of a project. The construction of a project must be executed by contract based on bids, with DOT awarding the contract to the lowest responsible bidder.

Under current law, DOT is also authorized to use a design-build method under which design, engineering, construction, and related services are procured through a single contract with a single entity capable of providing the services. Current law specifies the contents of requests for qualifications and requests for proposals solicited by DOT for design-build projects.

Under the bill, DOT must award six contracts for design-build projects every six years. The bill creates requirements for the evaluation of proposals and the awarding of design-build contracts. Under the bill, DOT must develop a design-build procurement manual. DOT must also prepare a report for the transportation projects commission and the legislature evaluating the success of the design-build program and the Joint Committee on Finance must make a recommendation as to whether the program should continue.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB770,1 Section 1 . 84.062 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,2,3 84.062 (1) (f) “Design professional” means a person registered under s. 443.03 or 443.04 or a firm, partnership, or corporation registered under s. 443.08.

SB770,2 Section 2 . 84.062 (1) (j) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,2,6 84.062 (1) (j) “Member” means a private legal entity that is a member of a consortium or joint venture that is a design-builder.

SB770,3 Section 3 . 84.062 (1) (k) of the statutes, as created by 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, is repealed.

SB770,4 Section 4 . 84.062 (1) (L) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,2,11 84.062 (1) (L) “Project” means a project involving a highway improvement, as defined in s. 84.06 (1) (a).

SB770,5 Section 5 . 84.062 (1) (m) of the statutes, as created by 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB770,3,3 84.062 (1) (m) “Qualified responsible bidder” means a design-builder responding to a request for qualifications and that is certified by the technical review committee.

SB770,6 Section 6 . 84.062 (1) (p) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,3,6 84.062 (1) (p) “Technical review committee” means the committee appointed under sub. (3).

SB770,7 Section 7 . 84.062 (2) of the statutes, as created by 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, is renumbered 84.062 (2) (a) and amended to read:

SB770,3,11 84.062 (2) (a) The department shall administer a program for design-build projects. The department may not designate a project as a design-build project unless the department is able to clearly define the scope of work.

SB770,8 Section 8 . 84.062 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,3,22 84.062 (2) (b) The department shall award 6 design-build contracts every 6 years, beginning on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date]. During each 6-year period, the department shall award at least one low bid design-build contract, one best value design-build contract, and one fixed price variable scope design-build contact and 3 additional contracts that may be any combination of low bid design-build, best value design-build, and fixed price variable scope design-build contracts. The combined cost of the 6 design-build contracts awarded under this paragraph in each 6-year period may not exceed $250,000,000 and the combined cost of all low bid design-build contracts awarded under this paragraph in each 6-year period may not exceed $25,000,000.

SB770,9 Section 9 . 84.062 (2) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,4,2 84.062 (2) (c) For each project designated under par. (a), the department shall solicit requests for qualifications, requests for proposals, and cost proposals as provided in this section and, subject to sub. (7) (c) and (d), let each project by contract to a qualified responsible bidder.

SB770,10 Section 10 . 84.062 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,4,15 84.062 (2) (d) No more than 6 months following the completion of a design-build project designated under this subsection, the department shall prepare a report, with input from the design-builder and the technical review committee, detailing the project, the decision to designate the project as a design-build project, the type of design-build contract let, and recommendations for statutory changes, if any. The department shall provide this report to the transportation projects commission, the joint committee on finance, and the senate and assembly standing committees having jurisdiction over transportation matters. The senate and assembly standing committees having jurisdiction over transportation matters shall schedule a hearing on the report not more than 30 days following distribution of the report by the chief clerks of the senate and the assembly. This paragraph does not apply to projects awarded after December 31, 2026.

SB770,11 Section 11 . 84.062 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,4,19 84.062 (3) Technical review committee. (a) The secretary shall appoint 5 individuals to a technical review committee to evaluate proposals submitted under this section. The committee shall consist of the following:

SB770,4,20 1. Three employees of the department.

SB770,4,24 2. Two individuals who are not employees of the department and who are chosen in compliance with a memorandum of understanding entered into by the department with a state association of architectural, engineering, or design companies and a state association of transportation construction companies.

SB770,5,5 (b) The secretary may not appoint to the technical review committee any person associated, as defined in s. 19.42 (2), with a design-builder. No person appointed to the technical review committee may review proposals under this section when the proposed project could benefit the appointee or the appointee's immediate family, as defined in s. 19.42 (7).

SB770,5,7 (c) A person appointed to the technical review committee is an agent of the department under s. 895.46.

SB770,5,9 (d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all records of the technical review committee are open to public inspection and copying under s. 19.35 (1).

SB770,12 Section 12 . 84.062 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,5,17 84.062 (4) Selection. The department shall solicit design-build proposals in 2 phases. In the first phase, the department shall solicit requests for qualifications under sub. (5) and requests for proposals under sub. (6). The technical review committee shall certify responsible bidders as provided in sub. (5) (c) and shall score technical proposals as provided in sub. (6) (b). In the 2nd phase, the department shall solicit cost proposals and the technical review committee shall evaluate cost proposals as provided in sub. (7).

SB770,13 Section 13 . 84.062 (5) (a) 1. a. of the statutes, as created by 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB770,5,23 84.062 (5) (a) 1. a. The design and construction experience of the design-builder or member, personnel, and contractors who will manage the design, engineering, and construction aspects of the project. The department may not require a level of experience that will unreasonably restrict competition.

SB770,14 Section 14 . 84.062 (5) (a) 2. d. of the statutes, as created by 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, is repealed.

SB770,15 Section 15. 84.062 (5) (a) 2. f. of the statutes is created to read:

SB770,6,3 84.062 (5) (a) 2. f. The design-builder or a member has been in business for at least 12 months.

SB770,16 Section 16 . 84.062 (5) (a) 2. h. of the statutes, as created by 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB770,6,8 84.062 (5) (a) 2. h. The design-builder can provide information to the technical review committee upon request about ownership, management, and control of the design-builder.

SB770,17 Section 17 . 84.062 (5) (a) 2. i. of the statutes, as created by 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB770,6,13 84.062 (5) (a) 2. i. The design-builder or a member has not been debarred from any government contracts and has not been found to have committed tax avoidance or evasion in any jurisdiction in the previous 10 5 years.