§ 136-12.3.  Outsourcing and project delivery reports.

(a) Intent. - It is the intent of the General Assembly to take all steps necessary to assist the Department of Transportation in accelerating project delivery and reducing costs incurred by the State. The General Assembly finds that shifting more control over projects to each of the Highway Divisions can assist in achieving this intent. Further, the General Assembly encourages each Highway Division to increase its outsourcing of preconstruction activities to private contractors to sixty percent (60%) of the total cost of preconstruction activities performed by the Highway Division, with the belief that increased outsourcing will also assist in achieving this intent. Therefore, in order to assess the results from shifting project control and increasing the use of outsourcing, and to determine what adjustments may be necessary to improve upon the results, the General Assembly finds that reports are necessary to collect baseline data to establish appropriate targets.

(b) Outsourcing Report. - For each Highway Division, the Department shall provide a detailed report on all payments made to private contractors for preconstruction activities. In order to compare internal costs incurred with payments made to private contractors, and except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the Department shall include project-specific expenses incurred by division, regional, or central staff. The Department shall not include expenses incurred for central business units that support and oversee outsourcing functions. The information in the first report submitted under this subsection shall be used to establish a baseline to use for setting future preconstruction outsourcing targets. The Department shall submit the report required under this subsection to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee by March 1 of each year.

(c) Project Delivery Report. - For each Highway Division, the Department shall provide a detailed annual report in accordance with the following requirements:

(1) The report shall detail the progress of the following types of projects in the State Transportation Improvement Program current for the period covered by the report:

a. Bridge projects with a cost in excess of ten million dollars ($10,000,000).

b. Interstate highway projects.

c. Rural highway projects.

d. Urban highway projects.

(2) For each project, the report shall indicate the status of all of the following phases:

a. Planning and design in progress.

b. Right-of-way acquisition in progress.

c. Project let for construction.

d. Construction substantially complete and traffic using facility.

(3) For each project, and as applicable, the report shall include an indication and explanation for project stages that are delayed during the period covered by the report and the delay has been for more than one year.

(4) For each project, the report shall include the planned and actual completion date for any required environmental documentation.

(5) The Department shall submit the report required under this subsection to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee by March 1 of each year.

(d) Combined Report. - The Department may combine the reports required to be submitted under subsections (b) and (c) of this section into a single report.

(e) Consultation Required. - If a Highway Division fails to meet the established preconstruction outsourcing target in two consecutive reports submitted under subsection (b) of this section, or if a report submitted under subsection (c) of this section identifies a Highway Division as having three or more project stages delayed for more than one year, the Division Engineer of the Highway Division identified in the report shall consult with the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee. The Division Engineer shall submit a request for consultation to (i) all members of the Committee, (ii) the chairs of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Transportation if the General Assembly is in session at the time consultation is required under this subsection, (iii) the chairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee on the Department of Transportation if the General Assembly is in session at the time consultation is required under this subsection, and (iv) the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly. The request for consultation shall consist of a written report providing an explanation for the failure or delay and a plan for remedying the failure or delay. If the Committee does not hold a meeting to hear the consultation required by this subsection within 90 days after the consultation request has been submitted, the consultation requirement is satisfied. (2017-57, s. 34.13; 2018-74, s. 4.)