Chapter 16

16.848(1) (1) 

16.848(1)(a) (a) Except as provided in sub. (2), the department may offer for sale or lease any state-owned real property, if the department determines that the sale or lease is in the best interest of the state, unless prohibited under the state or federal constitution or federal law or the sale is conducted as a part of a procedure to enforce an obligation to this state. Any sale may be either on the basis of public bids, with the department reserving the right to reject any bid in the best interest of the state, or on the basis of negotiated prices as determined through a competitive or transparent process. If the department receives an offer to purchase or lease property offered under this subsection, the department may submit a report to the building commission recommending acceptance of the offer. The report shall contain a description of the property and the reasons for the recommendation. The department may recommend the sale or lease of property with or without the approval of the agency, as defined in s. 16.52 (7), having jurisdiction over the property and regardless of whether the property is included in an inventory submitted under s. 13.48 (14) (d). If the building commission approves the proposed sale or lease, the department shall submit the proposed sale or lease to the joint committee on finance for approval under par. (b).

16.848(1)(b) (b) If the department proposes to sell or lease any property identified in par. (a), the department shall first notify the joint committee on finance in writing of its proposed action. The department shall not proceed with the proposed action unless the proposed action is approved by the committee. Together with any notification, the department shall also provide all of the following:

16.848(1)(b)1. 1. The estimated value of the property as determined by the department and by at least one qualified privately owned assessor.

16.848(1)(b)2. 2. The full cost of retiring any remaining public debt incurred to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of the property.

16.848(1)(b)3. 3. A cost-benefit analysis that considers the short-term and long-term costs and benefits to the state from selling or leasing the property.

16.848(1)(b)4. 4. The length and conditions of any proposed sale or lease between this state and a proposed purchaser or lessee.

16.848(1)(b)5. 5. The estimated budgetary impact of the proposed sale or lease upon affected state agencies for at least the current and following fiscal biennium.

16.848(1)(b)5m. 5m. The methodology to ensure the competitive and transparent sale of the property.

16.848(1)(b)6. 6. Any other information requested by the committee.

16.848(1)(c) (c) Except with respect to property identified in sub. (2), if any agency, as defined in s. 16.52 (7), has authority to sell or lease real property under any other law, the authority of that agency does not apply after the department notifies the agency in writing that an offer of sale or sale, or a lease agreement, is pending with respect to the property under this paragraph. If the sale or lease is not completed and no further action is pending with respect to the property, the authority of the agency to sell or lease the property is restored. If the department sells or leases any state-owned real property under this paragraph, the department may attach such conditions to the sale or lease as it finds to be necessary or appropriate to carry out the sale or lease in the best interest of the state. If the department sells or leases a state-owned heating, cooling, or power plant under this paragraph, the department may contract with the purchaser or lessee to purchase the output of the plant.

16.848(1e) (1e) If the department sells or leases any real property under sub. (1) that was under the jurisdiction of an agency, as defined in s. 16.52 (7), prior to the sale or lease, the agency shall convey all systems, fixtures, or additional property interests specified by the department to the purchaser or lessee of the property on terms specified by the department. If the department sells or leases a state-owned heating, cooling, or power plant that is under the jurisdiction of an agency, as defined in s. 16.52 (7), the agency shall convey all real and personal property associated with the plant to the purchaser or lessee on terms specified by the department.

16.848(1m) (1m) If any property that is proposed to be sold by the department under sub. (1) is co-owned by a nonstate entity, the department shall afford to that entity the right of first refusal to purchase the share of the property owned by the state on reasonable financial terms established by the department.

16.848(1s) (1s) 

16.848(1s)(a) (a) If the department sells or leases any facility under sub. (1) that is operated by an agency, as defined in s. 16.52 (7), on the day prior to the effective date of the sale or lease the secretary shall, notwithstanding s. 16.50 (1), require submission of expenditure estimates for approval under s. 16.50 (2) for each agency that proposes to expend moneys from any appropriation for the operation of the facility during the fiscal biennium in which the facility is sold or leased.

16.848(1s)(b) (b) Notwithstanding s. 16.50 (2), the secretary shall disapprove any such estimate for the period during which the facility is not operated by the agency. Subject to approval under par. (d), the secretary may then require the use of the amounts of any disapproved expenditure estimates for the purpose of purchase of contractual services from the facility or payment of the costs of purchasing services that were provided by the facility from an alternative source. Subject to approval under par. (d), if the department sells or leases a facility under this subsection, the secretary may identify any full-time equivalent positions authorized for the agency that was operating the facility the duties of which primarily relate to the management or operation of the facility, and may decrease the authorized full-time equivalent positions for the agency by the number of positions so identified effective on the effective date of the sale or lease.

16.848(1s)(c) (c) Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a) to (c) and subject to approval under par. (d), the secretary may lapse or transfer to the general fund from the unencumbered balance of appropriations to any agency, other than sum sufficient appropriations or appropriations of program revenues to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System or appropriations of segregated or federal revenues, any amount appropriated to an agency that is determined by the secretary to be allocated for the management or operation of the facility that was sold or leased effective on the effective date of the sale or lease.

16.848(1s)(d) (d) Prior to taking any action to reallocate authorized expenditures, decrease authorized positions, or lapse or transfer moneys under par. (b) or (c), the secretary shall submit the proposed action in writing to the joint committee on finance. The secretary shall not proceed with the proposed action unless the proposed action is approved by the committee.

16.848(2) (2) 

16.848(2)(am) (am) Subsection (1) does not apply to any property for which the cost of acquisition, construction, and improvement was financed with at least 50 percent federal funds or at least 50 percent gift or grant funds.

16.848(2)(b) (b) Subsection (1) does not apply to agricultural land acquired by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System under s. 36.33 (1).

16.848(2)(c) (c) Subsection (1) does not apply to property sold by the department under s. 16.98 (3).

16.848(2)(d) (d) Subsection (1) does not apply to lands under the jurisdiction of the board of commissioners of public lands.

16.848(2)(e) (e) Subsection (1) does not apply to property under the jurisdiction of the department of natural resources, except central or district office facilities.

16.848(2)(f) (f) Subsection (1) does not apply to lands acquired with revenues paid into the conservation fund under s. 70.58.

16.848(2)(g) (g) Subsection (1) does not apply to property that is subject to sale by the department of veterans affairs under s. 45.32 (7), 2017 stats.

16.848(2)(gc) (gc) Subsection (1) does not apply to property that is subject to sale by the department of military affairs under s. 321.03 (2) (b).

16.848(2)(gg) (gg) Subsection (1) does not apply to property that is conveyed by the department of corrections under s. 301.25.

16.848(2)(gn) (gn) Subsection (1) does not apply to property that is subject to sale by the state under s. 20.909 (2).

16.848(2)(gr) (gr) Subsection (1) does not apply to land that is sold or traded by the Kickapoo reserve management board under s. 41.41 (7).

16.848(2)(gt) (gt) Subsection (1) does not apply to property that is donated by the department of transportation under s. 84.09 (5r).

16.848(2)(gx) (gx) Subsection (1) does not apply to any property that is owned or leased by the investment board.

16.848(2)(h) (h) The department shall not sell any property under this section that is leased by the state until the lease expires or the lease is modified, renewed, or extended, whichever first occurs, without consent of the lessee.

16.848(2)(i) (i) Subsection (1) does not apply to property that is traded by the department under sub. (5).

16.848(4) (4) 

16.848(4)(a) (a) Except as provided in s. 13.48 (14) (e), if there is any outstanding public debt used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of any property that is sold or leased under sub. (1), the department shall deposit a sufficient amount of the net proceeds from the sale or lease of the property in the bond security and redemption fund under s. 18.09 to repay the principal and pay the interest on the debt, and any premium due upon refunding any of the debt. If there is any outstanding public debt used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of any property that is sold or leased under sub. (1), the department shall then provide a sufficient amount of the net proceeds from the sale or lease of the property for the costs of maintaining federal tax law compliance applicable to the debt. If the property was acquired, constructed, or improved with federal financial assistance, the department shall pay to the federal government any of the net proceeds required by federal law. If the property was acquired by gift or grant or acquired with gift or grant funds, the department shall adhere to any restriction governing use of the proceeds. Except as required under ss. 13.48 (14) (e), 20.395 (9) (qd), and 51.06 (6), if there is no such debt outstanding, there are no moneys payable to the federal government, and there is no restriction governing use of the proceeds, and if the net proceeds exceed the amount required to be deposited, paid, or used for another purpose under this subsection, the department shall use the net proceeds or remaining net proceeds to pay principal and interest costs on outstanding public debt issued to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of property. If any net proceeds remain thereafter, the department shall use the proceeds to pay principal and interest costs on other outstanding public debt.

16.848(4)(b) (b) For the purpose of paying principal and interest costs on other outstanding public debt under par. (a), the secretary may cause outstanding bonds to be called for redemption on or following their optional redemption date, establish one or more escrow accounts to redeem bonds at their optional redemption date, or purchase bonds in the open market. To the extent practical, the secretary shall consider all of the following in determining which public debt to redeem:

16.848(4)(b)1. 1. To the extent that debt service on the property being sold or leased was paid from a segregated fund, other outstanding public debt related to that segregated fund should be redeemed.

16.848(4)(b)3. 3. The extent to which general obligation debt that was issued to acquire, build, or improve the property being sold or leased is subject to current optional redemption, would require establishment of an escrow, or could be assigned for accounting purposes to another statutory bond purpose.

16.848(4)(b)4. 4. The fiscal benefit of redeeming outstanding debt with higher interest costs.

16.848(4)(b)5. 5. The costs of maintaining federal tax law compliance in the selection of general obligation debt to be redeemed.

16.848(4)(c) (c) If there are any outstanding revenue obligations, issued pursuant to subch. II of ch. 18, used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of any property that is sold or leased under sub. (1), the department shall deposit a sufficient amount of the net proceeds from the sale or lease of the property in the respective redemption fund provided under s. 18.561 (5) or 18.562 (3) to repay the principal and pay the interest on the revenue obligations, and any premium due upon refunding any of the revenue obligations. If there are any outstanding revenue obligations, issued pursuant to subch. II of ch. 18, used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of any property that is sold or leased under sub. (1), the department shall then provide a sufficient amount of the net proceeds from the sale or lease of the property for the costs of maintaining federal tax law compliance applicable to the revenue obligations. For the purpose of paying principal and interest costs on other outstanding revenue obligations, the secretary may cause outstanding revenue obligations to be called for redemption on or following their optional redemption date, establish one or more escrow accounts to redeem obligations at their optional redemption date, or purchase bonds on the open market. Except as required under ss. 13.48 (14) (e), 20.395 (9) (qd), and 51.06 (6), if the net proceeds exceed the amount required to be deposited, paid, or used for another purpose under this paragraph, the department shall use the net proceeds or remaining net proceeds to pay principal and interest costs on other similar revenue obligations.

16.848(5) (5) 

16.848(5)(a) (a) In this subsection, “navigational system” has the meaning given in s. 237.01 (5).

16.848(5)(b) (b) The department may trade a parcel of land that is part of the navigational system for another parcel of land if the parcels are of comparable value and any of the following applies:

16.848(5)(b)1. 1. The parcel to be received by the department is more suitable to the purposes of the navigational system than the parcel to be traded by the department.

16.848(5)(b)2. 2. The trade consolidates navigational system land.

16.848(5)(b)3. 3. The trade settles a boundary dispute or encroachment.

16.848 History History: 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20 ss. 113, 114, 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 100; 2009 a. 180; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20; 2013 a. 173 s. 33; 2015 a. 230, 357; 2017 a. 59; 2019 a. 9.

16.849 16.849 Facility design services for state agencies. The department may provide facility design services to agencies, as defined in s. 16.70 (1e). The department may assess a fee to agencies for which the department performs services under this section.

16.849 History History: 2013 a. 20.

subch. V of ch. 16 SUBCHAPTER V

ENGINEERING

16.85 16.85 Department of administration; powers, duties. The department of administration shall exercise the powers and duties prescribed by ss. 16.85 to 16.91:

16.85(1) (1) To take charge of and supervise all engineering or architectural services or construction work, as defined in s. 16.87 (1) (a), performed by, or for, the state, or any department, board, institution, commission, or officer of the state, including nonprofit-sharing corporations organized for the purpose of assisting the state in the construction and acquisition of new buildings or improvements and additions to existing buildings as contemplated under ss. 13.488, 36.09, and 36.11, except work to be performed for a project specified in s. 13.48 (10) (c), and except the engineering, architectural, and construction work of the department of transportation; and the engineering service performed by the department of safety and professional services, department of revenue, public service commission, department of health services, and other departments, boards, and commissions when the service is not related to the maintenance, and construction and planning, of the physical properties of the state.

16.85(2) (2) To furnish engineering, architectural, project management, and other building construction services whenever requisitions therefor are presented to the department by any agency. The department may deposit moneys received from the provision of these services in the account under s. 20.505 (1) (kc) or in the general fund as general purpose revenue — earned. In this subsection, “agency” means an office, department, independent agency, institution of higher education, association, society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, which is entitled to expend moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the courts, but not including an authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 233, 234, 237, 238, or 279.

16.85(3) (3) To act and assist any department, board, commission or officer requesting such cooperation and assistance, in letting contracts for engineering or architectural work authorized by law and in supervising the work done thereunder;

16.85(4) (4) To approve the appointment of a chief operating engineer for each state-owned or operated heating, cooling or power plant and pumping station, to provide for the methods of operating the plants and stations and to design records and forms for reporting accurately the cost per unit of product or service. The superintendent or other person having charge of each plant or station shall not only report to the agency which operates the plant or station but to the secretary in the manner and at such times as the secretary determines. In this subsection, “agency” has the meaning given under sub. (2).

16.85(5) (5) To promote the use of energy conservation methods in state-owned facilities, to implement and refine a statewide energy monitoring system and to develop and implement initiatives of replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy fuels.

16.85(6) (6) To approve the appointment of a principal engineer or architect for departments, boards and commissions and when such continuous service is needed. No such engineer or architect shall be employed without the written approval of the secretary.

16.85(7) (7) To rebuild and repair discarded machinery of the several state institutions when found feasible, and put the same back into service in the same department or in any other state department, and upon requisition to furnish services and material and loan equipment at fair rentals based on the cost thereof, in connection with the construction, operation and maintenance of heating and power plants, utilities and equipment.

16.85(10) (10) To prepare in cooperation with the state agencies concerned, plans for the future growth and development of various state institutions and to serve as technical adviser to the building commission in connection with the development of the state long-range building program provided in ss. 13.48 and 13.482.

16.85(12) (12) To review and approve plans and specifications for any building or structure that is constructed for the benefit of the University of Wisconsin System or any institution thereof, and to periodically review the progress of any such building or structure during construction to assure compliance with the approved plans and specifications. This subsection does not apply to projects specified in s. 13.48 (10) (c).

16.85(13) (13) To assist, upon request, any local exposition district under subch. II of ch. 229 in the preparation of the statement required under s. 229.46 (5) (a) or the specifications required under s. 229.46 (5) (b).

16.85(14) (14) To review and approve the design and specifications of any construction or improvement project of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority on state-owned land, to approve the decision to construct any such construction or improvement project and to periodically review the progress of the project during construction to assure compliance with the approved design and specifications. This subsection does not apply to any construction or improvement project of the authority that costs less than the amount that is required to be specified in the lease agreement between the authority and the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System under s. 233.04 (7) (d).

16.85(15) (15) To provide or contract for the provision of professional engineering, architectural, project management and other building construction services on behalf of school districts for the installation or maintenance of electrical and computer network wiring. The department shall assess fees for services provided under this subsection and shall credit all revenues received to the appropriation account under s. 20.505 (1) (im).

16.85(16) (16) To review and approve the design and specifications of any rehabilitation or repair project of the Fox River Navigational System Authority on state-owned land, to approve the decision to proceed with the project, and to periodically review the progress of the project during construction to assure compliance with the approved design and specifications.

16.85 History History: 1971 c. 42; 1973 c. 90; 1973 c. 335 s. 13; 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (8) (c); 1979 c. 221; 1983 a. 36 s. 96 (4); 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 142, 399; 1989 a. 31, 336; 1991 a. 39, 269, 316; 1993 a. 263; 1995 a. 27 ss. 398 to 400, 9116 (5), 9126 (19), 9130 (4); 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 197; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 74, 149, 335; 2007 a. 20 ss. 115b, 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 97; 2009 a. 28, 185; 2011 a. 7, 10, 32; 2013 a. 20, 166; 2015 a. 55.

16.85 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also chs. Adm 20 and 24, Wis. adm. code.

16.851 16.851 Plans for state buildings, structures or facilities. Except as the department otherwise provides by rule, records of the department containing plans or specifications for any state-owned or state-leased building, structure or facility, or any proposed state-owned or state-leased building, structure or facility, are not subject to the right of public inspection or copying under s. 19.35 (1). If the department transfers any records containing any such plans or specifications to any other authority as defined in s. 19.32 (1), the department shall require the authority to agree in writing not to make the record available for public inspection or copying except as the department otherwise permits by rule.

16.851 History History: 1995 a. 27.

16.8511 16.8511 Secretary of administration; powers, duties.

16.8511(1) (1) The secretary or the secretary’s designated assistants shall make a biennial inspection of each building of each institution of the state. The secretary may delegate this responsibility to the board, commission or officer in charge of such institution.

16.8511(2) (2) The secretary may delegate any of the work under this subchapter to the various state agencies when the secretary determines that the best interests of the state will be served. All such delegation will be in writing and accompanied by the proper rules and guidelines the agencies must follow to ensure performance to the satisfaction of the secretary.

16.8511 History History: 2005 a. 149 ss. 67, 69.

16.854 16.854 Services provided to professional baseball park districts.

16.854(1) (1) In this section:

16.854(1)(a) (a) “Minority business” has the meaning given in s. 16.287 (1) (e).

16.854(1)(b) (b) “Minority group member” has the meaning given in s. 16.287 (1) (f).

16.854(1)(c) (c) “Women’s business” means a sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture or corporation that is at least 51 percent owned, controlled and actively managed by women.

16.854(2) (2) Subject to the requirements of s. 16.82 (7), the department may, upon request of any local professional baseball park district, if the district has entered into a lease agreement with the department under s. 16.82 (7), take charge of and supervise engineering or architectural services or construction work, as defined in s. 16.87 (1) (a), performed by, or for, the district for compensation to be agreed upon between the department and the district. In connection with such services or work, the department may furnish engineering, architectural, project management and other building construction services whenever requisitions therefor are presented to the department by the district. If the district has entered into a lease agreement with the department under s. 16.82 (7), the department may also assist the district, upon request of the district, in letting contracts for engineering, architectural or construction work authorized by law and in supervising the work done thereunder. The department may award any such contract for any combination or division of work it designates and may consider any factors in awarding a contract including price, time for completion of work and the qualifications and past performance of a contractor. In awarding contracts under this section for the construction of baseball park facilities, as defined in s. 229.65 (1), the department shall ensure that any person who is awarded a contract agrees, as a condition to receiving the contract, that his or her goal shall be to ensure that at least 25 percent of the employees hired because of the contract will be minority group members and at least 5 percent of the employees hired because of the contract will be women. It shall also be a goal of the department to ensure that at least 25 percent of the aggregate dollar value of contracts awarded for the construction of such facilities in the following areas are awarded to minority businesses and at least 5 percent of the aggregate dollar value of contracts awarded for the construction of such facilities in the following areas are awarded to women’s businesses:

16.854(2)(a) (a) Contracts for the construction of baseball park facilities.

16.854(2)(b) (b) Contracts for professional services related to the construction of baseball park facilities.

16.854(2)(c) (c) Contracts for the development of baseball park facilities.

16.854(3) (3) It shall be a goal of the department, with regard to each of the contracts described under sub. (2) (a), (b) and (c), to award at least 25 percent of the dollar value of such contracts to minority businesses and at least 5 percent of the dollar value of such contracts to women’s businesses. Sections 16.85, 16.8511, 16.855, and 16.87 do not apply to services provided or contracted by the department under this section.

16.854 History History: 1995 a. 56; 2005 a. 149; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 166.

16.855 16.855 Construction project contracts.

16.855(1g) (1g) In this section:

16.855(1g)(ag) (ag) “Board of Regents” means the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.