AN ACT authorizing harnett county to construct water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant expansion projects without complying with specified provisions of Article 8 of chapter 143 of the general statutes.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Harnett County may contract for the design and construction of water treatment and wastewater treatment plant expansion projects for the purpose of providing services to Fort Bragg and the County without being subject to the requirements of G.S. 143‑128, 143‑129, 143‑131, 143‑132, 143‑64.31, and 143‑64.32.  This authorization includes, if deemed appropriate by the Harnett County Board of County Commissioners, the use of the single‑prime contractor method of design and construction, the design‑build method of construction, or a request for proposals and negotiation as an alternative design and construction method.
SECTION 2.  The Harnett County Board of Commissioners shall interview at least three design‑build teams that have submitted proposals for the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment expansion projects. The Board shall, in their best judgment, award the contract to the best qualified contractor, taking into account the time of completion of the project, compliance with the provisions of G.S. 143‑128.2, and the cost of the project.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and expires December 31, 2010.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 12th day of July, 2007.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Joe Hackney
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives