FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1680

C 226 L 01

Synopsis as Enacted

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).

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:

In December 1996 the Department of Transportation (DOT) created an in-house task force to investigate the use of design-build (D-B) contracting for DOT projects.  In 1998 the Legislature granted the DOT statutory authority to use D-B contracting on two pilot projects, each of which had to cost over $10 million.  The DOT was also required to present a detailed report to the Legislative Transportation Committee within one year of completion of the pilot projects.

The act required the DOT to develop criteria for use of the D-B process, which had to include the scope of services, contractor pre-qualification requirements, evaluation criteria, and a dispute resolution procedure.

Further, any request for proposal used had to fulfill the requirements used by specified higher education institutions, cities, counties, and port districts in their D-B contracting.  These contracting provisions sunset on June 30, 2001.

The D-B act sunsets on April 30, 2001.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation recommended that the Legislature grant statutory authority to transportation agencies to use design-build techniques and other alternative delivery concepts, such as design-build-operate, design-build-operate-own, design-build-operate-transfer, and general contractor/construction management.

Summary:

The DOT is authorized to utilize the D-B process and other alternative project delivery concepts in projects costing over $10 million until April 30, 2008.  The DOT is required to select projects based upon either greater innovation, highly specialized construction activities, or significant savings in project delivery time.

The WSF is authorized to use the D-B process for design and construction of auto ferries through use of a detailed request for proposal process.

Votes on Final Passage:

House908

Senate480(Senate amended)

House(House refused to concur)

Senate440(Senate amended)

House870(House concurred)

Effective:  July 22, 2001