Assembly Bill 509 proposes significant changes to the alternative delivery methods for highway projects contracted by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in Wisconsin. The bill repeals the existing pilot program that allowed DOT to award a limited number of design-build contracts and eliminates the requirement for maintaining an inventory of suitable projects. Instead, it establishes a new framework that permits DOT to encumber up to $300 million in each fiscal biennium for state trunk highway improvement projects using alternative project delivery methods, which are defined as any construction project delivery method eligible for federal funding, excluding the traditional design-bid-build approach. The bill also modifies the procedures for evaluating and selecting contracts, requiring a technical review committee to assess qualifications and proposals.

Additionally, the bill introduces new definitions and provisions related to alternative project delivery, including the creation of terms such as "construction manager-general contractor delivery" and "progressive design-build method." It amends existing statutes to reflect these changes and ensures that the DOT must award stipulated fees for design-build projects while allowing for such fees in other alternative delivery projects if specified in the solicitation notice. Notably, the bill does not include provisions for judicial review of DOT decisions related to alternative project delivery, which were present in the previous pilot program. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the contracting process for highway projects while expanding the options available to the DOT.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 84.01(33)(bm), 84.01, 84.013(2m), 84.013, 84.0145(4), 84.0145, 84.062(1)(b), 84.062, 84.062(1)(c), 84.062(1)(d), 84.062(1)(dm), 84.062(1)(m), 84.062(2)(title), 84.062(2)(a), 84.062(2)(b)