Brief Summary of Bill

Requires notice of public work exceeding $25,000 and executed by an alternative contracting method be posted on the state or municipality’s website.
Clarifies that Department of Enterprise Services (DES) will provide information and technical assistance for apprentice utilization to the affected agencies they serve and collect data on behalf of those agencies.
Removes statutory references to the state motor pool.
Removes requirement that DES provide early retirement financial planning information to Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and Teachers' Retirement System (TERS) Plan I members.

Background: DES. DES provides products and services to support state agencies, other governmental entities, and nonprofits. DES services include contracting support, consolidated purchasing and procurement activities, printing, consolidated mail service, fleet service, facilities and leasing management, statewide employee assistance and training programs, and small agency human resource and financial services.

Public Contracts. If a public entity determines that a public works project will be executed by a method other than by contract or by using the small works roster process and the contract amount will exceed $25,000, the entity must publish notice of the work in a legal newspaper of general circulation published in or as near as possible to that part of the county in which the work is being done at least 15 days before beginning work.

Bid specifications for public works estimated to cost $1 million or more, or $3 million or more for public works by the Department of Transportation (DOT), must require that at least 15 percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices, with limited exceptions. DES, with the assistance of the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), must provide information and technical assistance for apprentice utilization to affected agencies. DES also must collect certain data on covered projects from affected agencies.

State Agency Fleets. DES oversees the purchase of motor vehicles for state agencies and the state motor pool. The director of DES, in consultation with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) and other state agencies, develops strategies to reduce fuel consumption and emissions from all classes of vehicles. Any passenger motor vehicles acquired by any state agency shall be purchased by DES unless otherwise determined by the director after consultation with OFM, or owned and managed by DOT, the Department of Natural Resources, or the Washington State Patrol. All state vehicles must be marked on the lower left-hand corner of the rear window with the name and insignia of the operating agency, institution or the words "state motor pool" and, as appropriate, the words "state of Washington — for official use only."

Financial Planning. In 1992, early retirement was authorized for Plan I members of PERS and TRS retiring by August 31, 1992, who met certain criteria. The Department of Personnel, later DES, was directed to prepare information encouraging individual financial planning for retirement and provide potential consequences of early retirement for Plan I members of PERS and TRS who met certain criteria to retire early. The Department of Retirement Systems distributed the information to potential early retirees and persons who elect to retire early signed a statement acknowledging their receipt of the information. The PERS and TRS Plans I were closed to new members on October 1, 1977.

Summary of Bill: Public Contracts. If a public entity determines that a public works project will be executed by an alternative contracting method and the contract amount will exceed $25,000, the entity must publish notice of the work on the state or municipalities website at least 15 days before beginning work.

DES, with the assistance of L&I, must provide information and technical assistance for apprentice utilization to the affected agencies they serve. DES also must collect certain data on covered projects on behalf of those affected agencies.

State Agency Fleets. Statutory references to the state motor pool are removed. DES maintains oversight of state agency fleets and vehicles must continue to be marked with words that would designate vehicles owned and managed by DES.

Financial Planning. The requirement for DES to provide financial planning for early retirement of Plan I members of PERS and TRS is removed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This bill will increase transparency by posting information about certain public works projects online. DES already manages a website which agencies may use for this service. The apprentice program in the bill allows for people to get into the trades and develop a skilled workforce. The changes to the apprentice program allow for school districts and DOT to use their own systems and for DES to assist the other agencies they serve. The bill also seeks to remove the outdated term state motor pool and an outdated statute that requires DES provide a service that is already provided by Department of Retirement Services.