BILL NUMBER: S10558
SPONSOR: STEWART-COUSINS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend chapter 573 of the laws of 2025 relating to enacting the
"county of Westchester public works investment act", in relation to
expanding what qualifies as an authorized project for the county of
Westchester public works investment act
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to identify additional public works projects
for which specific agencies within Westchester County are authorized to
utilize the Design-Build model of contracting.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends the laws of 2025 by adding eight additional
public works projects to the list of authorized construction projects
for which specific agencies within Westchester County are authorized to
use design-build contracts.
Section 2 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In 2019, seven New York City agencies received authorization to utilize
Design-Build project delivery (as opposed to Design-Bid-Build) through
the Public Works Investment Act (PWIA). Design-Build consolidates
projects into one point of responsibility on the basis of which the
design and construction team can deliver the best project at the best
value. Under the current Design Bid-Build model, the 'Design' and
'Build' components of a project are barred from collaboration, slowing
project schedules, increasing cost, and resulting in lower quality in
final completed projects. In 2025, the Legislature authorized specific
agencies within Westchester County to use design-build contracts when
accepting bids for four specific construction projects, leading to
significant cost savings for the County and its taxpayers.
Many municipalities within Westchester county face serious challenges
related to flooding. These challenges grow more severe each year they go
unaddressed. In recent years, the federal government has cut funding for
FEMA and eliminated grant programs that fund flood mitigation efforts.
Allowing for the use of design-build contracts in the bidding process
for the eight additional projects outlined in this bill will provide
Westchester County with enough cost savings to undertake flood miti-
gation work despite the increased fiscal pressures from a hostile feder-
al government.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the
amendments to subdivision 2 of section 2 of chapter 573 of the laws of
2025 made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such
chapter and shall be deemed repealed therewith.