Assembly Bill 654
Requiring local units of government to use the qualifications-based selection process for certain public works consulting contracts
Topics: Contracts, Milwaukee: City, Municipality, Public works, School
Stopped before the full Assembly voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Jan 14, 2010
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 28, 2010: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill requires the use of a new method for the selection of a consultant by any city, village, town, or county (political subdivision), including a first class city, which is presently only Milwaukee, special purpose district, including a school district, or subunit (local governmental unit) if the consultant is required for a project that relates to certain public works contracts including the inspection of local bridges. Generally, under the bill, a local governmental unit is required to hire a consultant for a project based only on the consultant's qualifications.
A consultant is defined under the bill as a person who provides architectural services, engineering services, land surveying services, landscape architecture services, photogrammetric services, or professional geology services for a project. A project under the bill is a project of a local governmental unit that requires a consultant and relates to the planning, study, design, or construction inspection or administration of the public work or building, the total cost of which is estimated by a local governmental unit to be at least $250,000 and that will be funded to some extent by the state government. A consultant's services on a project are separate, however, from the contract for the actual construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of the public work or building. The value estimate and state funding requirements do not apply to local bridge inspections, however.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill requires a local governmental unit to create a procedure to solicit proposals from consultants for projects, but the proposals may not contain any information on proposed fees, level of efforts, or costs. The local governmental unit must rank the consultants based on the consultants' qualifications as described in their proposals. The proposals must contain certain information about the consultants, including their specialized experience, capabilities, and technical competence; their quality of work and ability to meet schedules; and their proposed method of project management.
After the local governmental unit ranks the consultants, it must enter into negotiations with the highest ranked consultant to finalize the terms of the contract, including the fees, level of efforts, and costs. If the local governmental unit and consultant are unable to reach an agreement, the local governmental unit must enter into negotiations with the next highest ranked consultants, in order of their ranking, until a contract is finalized. If no agreement is reached with any of the consultants, the local governmental unit may retain a consultant for the project under any other allowable method.
The provisions created in the bill do not apply to a project that is needed to protect public health or welfare due to an emergency situation. Also under the bill, a local governmental unit may enter into a contract with a consultant with whom it has an established relationship, and who has previously provided similar services, without evaluating proposals from other consultants.
Who's behind it
9 lawmakers are its . 7 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.
10 more lawmakers .
See all 19 names Hide the names
Authors (9)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Fred Clark · Democrat, Assembly
- Mark Gottlieb · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Gunderson · Republican, Assembly
- Mark Honadel · Republican, Assembly
- Samantha Kerkman · Republican, Assembly
- Louis Molepske Jr. · Democrat, Assembly
- John Townsend · Republican, Assembly
- Rich Zipperer · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (10)
- Russell Decker · Democrat, Senate
- Dave Hansen · Democrat, Senate
- Neal Kedzie · Republican, Senate
- Pat Kreitlow · Democrat, Senate
- Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Jeffrey Plale · Democrat, Senate
- Dale Schultz · Republican, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
Versions and amendments
Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Jobs vote to recommend it
Passed, 10 to 2 · Feb 22, 2010
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage recommended by committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, Ayes 10, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 28, 2010
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Feb 22, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 22, 2010
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 10 to 2.
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Feb 9, 2010
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 3, 2010
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 14, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business.
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Jan 14, 2010
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 14, 2010 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Molepske Jr., Clark, Gottlieb, Zipperer, Honadel, Townsend, Gunderson, A. Ott and Kerkman;Cosponsored by Senators Plale, Taylor, Lehman, Hansen, Kedzie, Lassa, Kreitlow, Schultz, Wirch and Decker
- Jan 14, 2010 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business
- Feb 3, 2010 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Feb 9, 2010 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 17, 2010 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representative Zipperer
- Feb 17, 2010 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Feb 22, 2010 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, Ayes 10, Noes 2
- Feb 22, 2010 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 3-4-2010 by committee on Rules
- Apr 7, 2010 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representative Molepske Jr.
- Apr 28, 2010 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote