GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 141

Short Title:  Improve Bldg. Designer Selection.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Martin of Guilford; and Blackmon.
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Referred to:  Rules and Operation of the Senate.
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February 15, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT A RECOMMENDATION OF THE GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT COMMITTEE TO IMPROVE THE PROCEDURES FOR PROCURING ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR STATE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 143-341(3) reads as rewritten:
"(3)	Architecture and Engineering:
a.	To examine and approve all plans and specifications for the construction or renovation of:
1.	All State buildings; and
2.	All community college buildings requiring the estimated expenditure for construction or repair work for which public bidding is required under G.S. 143-129
	prior to the awarding of a contract for such work; and to examine and approve all changes in those plans and specifications made after the contract for such work has been awarded. To reduce the cost to the State of change orders, the Office of State Construction shall reevaluate the use of designers to issue construction change orders when the change orders may result from design defects.
b.	To prepare preliminary studies and cost estimates and otherwise to assist all agencies in the preparation of requests for appropriations for the construction or renovation of all State buildings.
c.	To supervise the letting of all contracts for the design, construction or renovation of all State buildings and all community college buildings whose plans and specifications must be examined and approved under a.2. of this subdivision.
		The Office of State Construction shall develop detailed estimates of the expected design costs for capital projects to provide a basis for (i) evaluating the reasonableness of fees proposed by selected design firms and (ii) negotiating changes in contract fees when there is a change in the scope of work.  If the Office of State Construction uses an outside contractor to develop the estimates of expected design costs, that contractor shall not be eligible for selection as the project designer.
d.	To supervise and inspect all work done and materials used in the construction or renovation of all State buildings and all community college buildings whose plans and specifications must be examined and approved under a.2. of this subdivision; and no such work may be accepted by the State or by any State agency until it has been approved by the Department.  The contract with a designer shall require that the designer provide a specific plan for inspection during the construction phase of a project."
Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.