AB553: Bill Text

AB553,5,20 (c) "Engineering services" means the provision of services that consist of the practice of professional engineering, as defined in s. 443.01 (6).

AB553,5,22 (d) "Landscape architecture services" means the provision of services that consist of landscape architecture, as defined in s. 443.01 (3r).

AB553,5,24 (e) "Land surveying services" means the provision of services that consist of land surveying, as defined in s. 443.01 (4).

AB553,6,4 (f) "Local governmental unit" means a political subdivision of this state, a special purpose district in this state, an agency or corporation of a political subdivision or special purpose district, or a combination or subunit of any of the foregoing charged with the duty of receiving bids for and awarding any project.

AB553,6,6 (g) "Professional geology services" means the provision of services that consist of the practice of professional geology, as defined in s. 470.01 (2).

AB553,6,8 (h) "Project" means any project related to a public work or building to which all of the following apply:

AB553,6,10 1. The value of the project is estimated by the governing body of the local governmental unit to be at least $250,000.

AB553,6,12 2. The state government provides some amount of financial assistance to the project.

AB553,6,14 3. The services of a consultant are required for the planning, study, design, construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of the public work or building.

AB553,6,18 (2) Qualification-based selection. (a) Except as provided in sub. (4), for any project undertaken by a local governmental unit, the consultant that must be hired may be selected only on the basis of the consultant's qualifications, as determined under this subsection.

AB553,6,23 (b) A local governmental unit shall develop a procedure to solicit proposals from consultants for projects, and shall rank the proposals according to the qualifications of the consultants. The proposals may not include any fees or costs for the proposed project, and the local governmental unit may not solicit fee or cost information from consultants except as provided in sub. (3).

AB553,7,3 (c) To determine the qualifications of a consultant, the local governmental unit shall require that a proposal submitted for a project contain at least all of the following information about the consultant:

AB553,7,5 1. Its specialized experience, capabilities, and technical competence to meet the project requirements.

AB553,7,7 2. Its resources that are available to perform the required work, including any specialized services, within the time limits specified by the local governmental unit.

AB553,7,9 3. Its proposed approach to meet the project requirements and its proposed methods of project management.

AB553,7,11 4. The quality of its past work, its ability to meet schedules, and its cost control and contract administration practices.

AB553,7,12 5. Its proximity to, and familiarity with, the project location.

AB553,7,15 (3) Negotiation. (a) Following the receipt and ranking of the proposals, a local governmental unit shall negotiate with the highest ranked consultant to specify the terms of the contract, including costs and fees.

AB553,7,21 (b) If the local governmental unit and the selected consultant are unable to negotiate a contract at a fee that is acceptable to the local governmental unit, the local governmental unit shall terminate negotiations with the consultant by written notification. Subject to sub. (4), the local governmental unit shall then commence negotiations with as many of the other consultants as necessary, as provided in this subsection and in the order of their ranking, until a contract is entered into.

AB553,7,24 (4) Exceptions. (a) If a local governmental unit is unable to enter into a contract with a consultant under sub. (3), it may solicit bids for the project under any other method that is authorized by law.

AB553,8,8 (b) The procedures and requirements for selecting consultants under this section do not apply for the repair and reconstruction of any public work or building when damage or threatened damage to the public work or building creates an emergency, as determined by resolution of the governing body of the local governmental unit, in which the public health or welfare of the local governmental unit is endangered. Whenever the governing body of the local governmental unit determines by majority vote at a regular or special meeting that an emergency no longer exists, this paragraph no longer applies.

AB553,8,15 (c) If a local governmental unit enters into a contract with a consultant under this section, the local governmental unit may solicit a proposal for another project directly from that consultant and may proceed directly to negotiation under sub. (3) without soliciting proposals from other consultants. If the local governmental unit is unable to enter into a contract with a consultant under this paragraph, the local governmental unit shall solicit proposals from consultants as provided in this section.

AB553,8,19 (5) Local bridge inspections. If a local authority hires a consultant for inspecting highway bridges under s. 84.17 (3) (b), the provisions of this section apply to the hiring of the consultant, except that the provisions specified in sub. (1) (h) 1. and 2. do not apply.

AB553, s. 8 Section 8. 88.62 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB553,9,4 88.62 (1) The drainage board may authorize the drainage district to do its own work or the board may enter into contracts to have the work done. The board may advertise for bids and shall do so in all cases where the work to be done will cost in excess of $10,000. When the board is required to advertise for bids, the board shall publish a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, and other notices that the board considers appropriate, and the work shall be let, except as provided in s. 66.0902 (2), to the lowest responsible bidder unless in the board's opinion the bid is unreasonably high and a lower bid can be obtained. The board may continue the letting of the work from time to time, and may reject any or all bids.

AB553, s. 9 Section 9. 200.11 (5) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB553,9,16 200.11 (5) (d) Bids. Whenever plans and specifications for any facilities have been completed and approved by the commission and by any other agency which must approve the plans and specifications, and the commission has determined to proceed with the work of the construction thereof, it shall advertise by a class 2 notice under ch. 985, for bids for the construction of the facilities. Contracts Except as provided in s. 66.0902 (2), contracts for the work shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, or the agency may reject any and all bids and if in its discretion the prices quoted are unreasonable, the bidders irresponsible or the bids informal, it may readvertise the work or any part of it. All contracts shall be protected by such bonds, penalties and conditions as the district shall require. The commission may itself do any part of any of the works.

AB553, s. 10 Section 10. 200.47 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB553,9,24 200.47 (2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b) and s. 66.0902 (2), all work done and all purchases of supplies and materials by the commission shall be by contract awarded to the lowest responsible bidder complying with the invitation to bid, if the work or purchase involves an expenditure of $20,000 or more. If the commission decides to proceed with construction of any sewer after plans and specifications for the sewer are completed and approved by the commission and by the department of natural resources under ch. 281, the commission shall advertise by a class 2 notice under ch. 985 for construction bids. All contracts and the awarding of contracts are subject to s. 66.0901.

AB553, s. 11 Section 11. Initial applicability.

AB553,10,5 (1) This act first applies to a project, the proposals for which are solicited on the effective date of this subsection.

AB553,10,6 (End)