H-0530.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 1132

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Representatives Valle, Ferguson, Belcher, Bowman, Sprenkle, Brekke, Pruitt, Dellwo and Morris.

Read first time January 21, 1991.  Referred to Committee on State Government\Capital Facilities & Financing.Reviewing the procurement and use of contracted architectural and engineering services.

     AN ACT Relating to procurement of architectural and engineering contracts; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.      The legislature finds that the state's procurement of architectural and engineering services reached fifty-seven million dollars during the 1989-91 biennium.  While the legislature has assured the competitive awarding of contracts for these services that are vital to the construction and maintenance of state facilities and transportation, it has not in recent years reviewed the state's procurement and efficient use of such services.  It is therefore the legislature's intent to require a review of the use of state resources for architectural and engineering services and to identify improvements, where necessary.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.      (1) The Washington state efficiency and accountability commission shall conduct a review of the state's procurement and use of contracted architectural and engineering services for state public works projects.  The review shall:

     (a) Determine agency compliance with statutory competitive bid policies and procedures for the procurement of architectural and engineering services;

     (b) Examine the procedures and extent of use of contract amendments;

     (c) Analyze the use of contingency or set-aside funds in contractual agreements;

     (d) Determine if the state could more efficiently provide its own architectural and engineering services in lieu of contracting; and

     (e) Provide an analysis of the fees negotiated for architectural and engineering services for the past ten years.

     (2) The commission shall report its findings and recommendations for areas of improvement and cost savings to the office of financial management and the fiscal committees of the legislature by December 1, 1991.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.      This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.