SENATE BILL REPORT
SHB 1680
As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Transportation, March 26, 2001
Title: An act relating to design‑build procedures for public works.
Brief Description: Extending design‑build for public works.
Sponsors: By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Fisher, Mitchell and Poulsen; by request of The Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Transportation: 3/26/01 [DPA].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Majority Report: Do pass as amended.
Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Eide, Horn, Jacobsen, Kastama, McAuliffe, Patterson, Shin and Swecker.
Staff: Jennifer Ziegler (786-7316)
Background: The Legislature and the Governor formed the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRCT) on Transportation in 1998 to assess the local, regional, and state transportation system; ensure that current and future money is spent wisely; make the system more accountable and predictable; and prepare a 20-year plan for funding and investing in the transportation system. The commission consisted of 46 members representing business, labor, agriculture, tribes, government, ports, shipping, trucking, transit, rail, environmental interests, and the general public.
The BRCT made 18 recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature. Recommendation Eight directed the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to incorporate the design-build process and its variations into construction projects to achieve the goal of time savings and avoidance of costly change orders.
Currently, the WSDOT construction and contracting procedure requires the WSDOT to award the contract for the design phase prior to contracting for the construction phase of a project. Design-build authority would allow the department to enter into a single contract with a design-build contractor. The contractual responsibility to the state for full performance of all phases of the contract would be vested in the design-build contractor.
Summary of Amended Bill: The WSDOT is granted the authority to use the design-build process in projects costing over $10 million. WSDOT must select projects based upon either greater innovation, highly specialized construction activities, or significant savings in project delivery time.
WSDOT may purchase new auto ferries through the use of a modified request for proposal process, in which the prevailing shipbuilder and WSDOT engage in a design-build partnership. The request for proposal to interested parties must include outline specifications providing vessel requirements, a vessel delivery schedule, estimated price range for the contract, and a requirement that the vessel be constructed in Washington.
Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: Provisions are added to use design-build authority for the construction of auto ferries.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Design-build is necessary to deliver large projects quickly and efficiently. There are concerns with language that suggests public employees be allowed to participate in the design-build process.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: Brian Ziegler, WSDOT; Don Briscoe, Local 17; Duke Schaub, AGC; Cliff Webster, Architecture and Engineers Union.