Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Holzapfel, Tiver and Timberlake
SYNOPSIS
Permits certain transportation research contracts to be awarded to private research institutions of higher education and other entities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning transportation research and amending P.L.2019, c.196.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.2019, c.196 (C.27:1B-21.36) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. The New Jersey Transportation Research Bureau within the Department of Transportation, hereinafter referred to as the bureau, shall serve as a transportation research center for the State.
b. The bureau shall award research contracts to New Jersey public and private research institutions of higher education, or other entities, to conduct the research activities of the bureau. The bureau shall determine whether awarding a research contract to a public or private research institution of higher education or another entity is in the public interest. The award of those research contracts shall be subject to all relevant existing State and federally established public bidding regulations and processes.
c. The bureau shall identify specific areas of transportation expertise [for] of New Jersey public and private research institutions of higher education, and other entities, where all research undertaken by the bureau in that area of expertise is to occur, and shall be subject to all relevant existing State and federally established public bidding regulations and processes.
d. The Commissioner of Transportation shall appoint a manager for the bureau. The duties of the manager shall include but not be limited to:
(1) Administering and operating the bureau;
(2) Overseeing research undertaken by the bureau;
(3) Establishing and maintaining relationships with New Jersey public and private research institutions of higher education and other entities;
(4) Supporting New Jersey public research institutions of higher education in obtaining and maintaining University Transportation Center status under the United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration's University Transportation Center Program; and
(5) Authorizing [competitive bidding for research contracts to include entities in addition to New Jersey public research institutions of higher education, notwithstanding the provisions of subsections b. and c. of this section to the contrary, after making a written determination that the department stands to benefit from additional competition in terms of quality of work product, timeliness of work product delivery, or availability of expertise in one or more specific transportation areas] the bureau to enter into research contracts pursuant to this section.
e. Any contract entered into pursuant to this section shall include a provision that requires research conducted under the contract to consider the transportation and mobility needs of New Jersey residents with physical, sensory, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.
f. For purposes of this section, "entities" [means] shall include, but not be limited to, an entity that is organized as a non-profit organization. "Entities" shall not include a municipal planning organization or a municipal planning organization-related entity, regardless of whether it is organized as a non-profit organization.
(cf: P.L.2023, c.179, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill permits the New Jersey Transportation Research Bureau within the Department of Transportation (bureau) to award research contracts to private research institutions of higher education and certain other entities.
Under current law, the bureau is required to award research contracts only to New Jersey public research institutions of higher education, except when the manager of the bureau (manager) makes a written determination that additional competition in terms of quality of work product, timeliness of work product delivery, or availability of specific transportation expertise from entities other than New Jersey public research institutions will benefit the Department of Transportation (department).
The bill removes a provision that authorizes the manager to allow for competitive bidding for research contracts when doing so will benefit the department. The bill requires the bureau to determine whether awarding a research contract to a public or private research institution of higher education or another entity is in the public interest and provides that the manager has a duty to establish and maintain relationships with private research institutions of higher education and other entities.
Additionally, the bill changes the definition of entities to include entities other than non-profit organizations.