SB 554

Under this bill, the Building Commission may authorize money from the state

building trust fund to be available for any project costing $1,000,000 or less, and the

Building Commission may authorize the design and construction of any building, the

acquisition of land, or the repair or improvement of any building, structure, or

facility that costs more than $1,000,000 only if the project is enumerated in the state

building program. Under current law, each of those thresholds is set at $760,000.

Subject to limited exceptions, the bill also prohibits the state from entering into

a contract for the construction of or addition to any building in connection with a

building project involving a cost that exceeds $300,000 without the approval of the

Building Commission. Current law sets that threshold at $185,000. The bill

includes a corresponding adjustment to certain thresholds for projects of the State

Fair Park Board.

The bill also raises from $185,000 to $300,000 the threshold for projects that are

subject to single prime contracting, and the bill creates an exception to single prime

contracting, including certain bidding requirements, for certain construction

projects. Specifically, under the bill, the Department of Administration may let any

construction project that exceeds $300,000 to a contractor whose primary business

is the performance of a trade (single trade contractor) for all work on the project if

at least 85 percent of the estimated construction cost of the project is for work that

involves the trade that is the primary business of the single trade contractor. For

purposes of the bill, “trade” means mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or fire

protection work. The current law requirements with respect to the solicitation of bids

or proposals for construction projects and the award of contracts to the lowest

responsible bidder apply to single trade contracts under the bill. The single prime

contracting process for certifying, selecting, and contracting with subcontractors

does not apply to single trade contractors under the bill.

Finally, under the bill, the secretary of administration is required to establish

a committee for each construction project under the department's supervision,

except certain emergency projects, for the purpose of selecting an architect or

engineer for the project. If the estimated cost of a construction project is $7,400,000

or more, the selection committee must use a request-for-proposal process

established by the department to select an architect or engineer for the project based

on qualifications.