SLS 19RS-2602 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 188
BY SENATOR GARY SMITH
PUBLIC WORKS. Creates the Public Works Contracts Task Force to study the feasibility
of increasing the contract limit applicable to public works contracts.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To establish the Public Works Contracts Task Force to study the feasibility of increasing the
3 contract limit applicable to public works contracts.
4 WHEREAS, in Louisiana, contracts for public works exceeding the defined contract
5 limit, including labor and materials, to be done by a public entity shall be advertised and let
6 by contract to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder who bids according to the
7 bidding documents advertised, and no public work shall be done except as provided by law;
8 and
9 WHEREAS, R.S. 38:2212(C) provides that the term "contract limit" is equal to the
10 sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars per project, including labor, materials, and
11 equipment as per the rates in the latest edition of the Associated Equipment Dealers Rental
12 Rate Book and administrative overhead not to exceed fifteen percent, provided that
13 beginning February 1, 2015, and annually on February first of each subsequent year, the
14 office of facility planning and control within the division of administration is to adjust the
15 "contract limit" by an amount not to exceed the annual percentage increase in the Consumer
16 Price Index in the preceding year and then publish the new contract limit for public works
17 contracts in the Louisiana Register in January of each year; and
18 WHEREAS, the contract limit published in the Louisiana Register in the January
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1 2019 edition is $157,700; and
2 WHEREAS, an increase of the base "contract limit" of one hundred fifty thousand
3 dollars may be needed due to inflation and increased costs of materials and labor.
4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
5 establishes the Public Works Contracts Task Force to study the feasibility of increasing the
6 contract limit applicable to public works contracts.
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Works Contracts Task Force be
8 comprised of the following members:
9 (1) The president of the Senate or his designee.
10 (2) The speaker of the House of Representatives or his designee.
11 (3) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public
12 Works, or another member of the committee designated by the chair.
13 (4) The chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public
14 Works, or another member of the committee designated by the chair.
15 (5) The executive director of the office of facility planning and control within the
16 division of administration or his designee.
17 (6) A representative of the Louisiana Associated General Contractors, Inc.
18 (7) A representative of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Louisiana
19 Chapter.
20 (8) A representative of the American Council of Engineering Companies of
21 Louisiana, Inc.
22 (9) A representative of the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, Inc.
23 (10) A representative of The Louisiana Municipal Association.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
25 hereby urge and request that the members' organizations appoint representatives who are
26 involved in and possess a working knowledge of the public works contract process.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the executive director of the division of
28 administration, office of facility planning and control, or his designee, shall act as chairman
29 of the task force.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this task force shall serve
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1 without compensation, except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be
2 individually entitled as members of the organizations they represent.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the total membership shall
4 constitute a quorum of the task force and any official action by the task force shall require
5 an affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum present and voting.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the names of the members chosen or designated
7 by the member organizations shall be submitted to the chairman of the task force no later
8 than August 15, 2019, and that the chairman shall thereafter call the first meeting of the task
9 force no later than September 15, 2019.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall meet as necessary and shall
11 submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the chairmen of the house and senate
12 committees on transportation, highways and public works, no later than January 31, 2020.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall terminate not later than
14 June 1, 2020.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution shall be transmitted
16 to the executive director of the division of administration, office of facility planning and
17 control, the Louisiana Associated General Contractors, Inc., the Associated Builders and
18 Contractors, Inc., Louisiana Chapter, the American Council of Engineering Companies of
19 Louisiana, Inc., the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, Inc., and The Louisiana Municipal
20 Association.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Thomas L. Tyler.
DIGEST
SR 188 Original 2019 Regular Session Gary Smith
Establishes the Public Works Contracts Task Force to study the feasibility of increasing the
contract limit applicable to public works contracts.
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