RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 261 (SB 200) 2019 Regular Session Cortez
New law creates a pilot program to authorize local governmental subdivisions and political
subdivisions to use A+B bidding method to determine the lowest responsive bidder on a
contract for public works. The pilot is limited to 15 projects subject to prior approval of the
House and Senate committees on transportation, highways, and public works. If the
committees approve a project, the owner is required to submit in writing to the chairmen of
committees, the name and address of the lowest responsive bidder awarded the contract,
together with the bid values of the A+B components. Further, upon completion and
acceptance of the project, the owner is required to submit in writing to the chairmen of the
committees a project report that includes the final project cost and an evaluation of whether
or not contract times were reduced, costs were acceptable, and quality was maintained by use
of the A+B bid method.
Defines "A+B bidding" and "owner" as follows:
(1)"A+B bidding" means cost plus time bidding that factors time plus cost to determine
the low bid. Under the A+B method, each submitted bid has two components where
"A" is the traditional bid for the contract items and is the dollar amount for all work
to be performed under the contract, and "B" is a "bid" of the total number of calendar
days required to complete the project, as estimated by the bidder. Bid days are
multiplied by a user cost, furnished by the project owner, and added to the "A"
component to obtain the total bid. The bid for award to the lowest responsive bidder
is based on a combination of the bid for the contract items and the associated cost of
time.
(2)"Owner" means a "local governmental subdivision" or a "political subdivision" as
defined in La. Const. Art. VI, Sec. 44(1) and (2).
Provides that bidding documents may contain alternates, which allow for different materials
or methods of construction, provided that any such alternate materials are currently approved
by the local governmental subdivision or political subdivision.
Supersedes any conflicting provisions of any law, including but not limited to the
requirements of the Public Bid Law, but the provisions of the Public Bid Law are otherwise
applicable to such contracts.
Effective August 1, 2019.
(Adds R.S. 38:2211.2)