S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
119
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2013
___________
Introduced by Sen. PERALTA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, the general municipal law, the state
finance law and the education law, in relation to advertisements for
bids
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 3 of section 220 of the labor
law, as separately amended by chapter 678 of the laws of 2007 and chap-
ter 7 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
(c) It shall be the duty of the fiscal officer, as defined in this
section, to ascertain and determine the schedules of supplements to be
provided and wages to be paid workers, laborers and mechanics on such
public work, prior to the time of the advertisement for bids, and such
schedules shall be annexed to and form a part of the specifications for
the work. Such fiscal officer shall file with the department having
jurisdiction such schedules prior to the time of the commencement of the
advertisement for bids on all public works proposed to be constructed.
IF THE FISCAL OFFICER CANNOT ASCERTAIN OR DETERMINE SUCH SCHEDULES OR
WAGES, OR DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF WORKERS ON SUCH
PUBLIC WORK, IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE FISCAL OFFICER TO REJECT ANY
CONTRACT ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS. The term "contract"
as used in this article also shall include reconstruction and repair of
any such public work, and any public work performed under a lease,
permit or other agreement pursuant to which the department of jurisdic-
tion grants the responsibility of contracting for such public work to
any third party proposing to perform such work to which the provisions
of this article would apply had the department of jurisdiction
contracted directly for its performance, or where there is no lease,
permit or other agreement and ownership of a public work is intended to
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00354-01-3
S. 119 2
be assumed by such public entity at any time subsequent to completion of
the public work.
S 2. Subdivision 1 of section 103 of the general municipal law, as
amended by section 1 of chapter 2 of the laws of 2012, is amended to
read as follows:
1. Except as otherwise expressly provided by an act of the legislature
or by a local law adopted prior to September first, nineteen hundred
fifty-three, all contracts for public work involving an expenditure of
more than thirty-five thousand dollars and all purchase contracts
involving an expenditure of more than twenty thousand dollars, shall be
awarded by the appropriate officer, board or agency of a political
subdivision or of any district therein including but not limited to a
soil conservation district to the lowest responsible bidder furnishing
the required security after advertisement for sealed bids in the manner
provided by this section, provided, however, that purchase contracts
(including contracts for service work, but excluding any purchase
contracts necessary for the completion of a public works contract pursu-
ant to article eight of the labor law) may be awarded on the basis of
best value, as defined in section one hundred sixty-three of the state
finance law, to a responsive and responsible bidder or offerer in the
manner provided by this section except that in a political subdivision
other than a city with a population of one million inhabitants or more
or any district, board or agency with jurisdiction exclusively therein
the use of best value for awarding a purchase contract or purchase
contracts must be authorized by local law or, in the case of a district
corporation, school district or board of cooperative educational
services, by rule, regulation or resolution adopted at a public meeting.
ALL SUBMITTED BIDS FOR SUCH PUBLIC WORK CONTRACTS SHALL BE FOR A FIXED-
DOLLAR AMOUNT. In any case where a responsible bidder's or responsible
offerer's gross price is reducible by an allowance for the value of used
machinery, equipment, apparatus or tools to be traded in by a political
subdivision, the gross price shall be reduced by the amount of such
allowance, for the purpose of determining the best value. In cases
where two or more responsible bidders furnishing the required security
submit identical bids as to price, such officer, board or agency may
award the contract to any of such bidders. Such officer, board or agency
may, in his or her or its discretion, reject all bids or offers and
readvertise for new bids or offers in the manner provided by this
section. In determining whether a purchase is an expenditure within the
discretionary threshold amounts established by this subdivision, the
officer, board or agency of a political subdivision or of any district
therein shall consider the reasonably expected aggregate amount of all
purchases of the same commodities, services or technology to be made
within the twelve-month period commencing on the date of purchase.
Purchases of commodities, services or technology shall not be arti-
ficially divided for the purpose of satisfying the discretionary buying
thresholds established by this subdivision. A change to or a renewal of
a discretionary purchase shall not be permitted if the change or renewal
would bring the reasonably expected aggregate amount of all purchases of
the same commodities, services or technology from the same provider
within the twelve-month period commencing on the date of the first
purchase to an amount greater than the discretionary buying threshold
amount. For purposes of this section, "sealed bids" and "sealed offers",
as that term applies to purchase contracts, (including contracts for
service work, but excluding any purchase contracts necessary for the
completion of a public works contract pursuant to article eight of the
S. 119 3
labor law) shall include bids and offers submitted in an electronic
format including submission of the statement of non-collusion required
by section one hundred three-d of this article, provided that the
governing board of the political subdivision or district, by resolution,
has authorized the receipt of bids and offers in such format. Submission
in electronic format may, for technology contracts only, be required as
the sole method for the submission of bids and offers. Bids and offers
submitted in an electronic format shall be transmitted by bidders and
offerers to the receiving device designated by the political subdivision
or district. Any method used to receive electronic bids and offers shall
comply with article three of the state technology law, and any rules and
regulations promulgated and guidelines developed thereunder and, at a
minimum, must (a) document the time and date of receipt of each bid and
offer received electronically; (b) authenticate the identity of the
sender; (c) ensure the security of the information transmitted; and (d)
ensure the confidentiality of the bid or offer until the time and date
established for the opening of bids or offers. The timely submission of
an electronic bid or offer in compliance with instructions provided for
such submission in the advertisement for bids or offers and/or the spec-
ifications shall be the responsibility solely of each bidder or offerer
or prospective bidder or offerer. No political subdivision or district
therein shall incur any liability from delays of or interruptions in the
receiving device designated for the submission and receipt of electronic
bids and offers.
S 3. Subdivision 1 of section 103 of the general municipal law, as
amended by section 2 of chapter 2 of the laws of 2012, is amended to
read as follows:
1. Except as otherwise expressly provided by an act of the legislature
or by a local law adopted prior to September first, nineteen hundred
fifty-three, all contracts for public work involving an expenditure of
more than thirty-five thousand dollars and all purchase contracts
involving an expenditure of more than twenty thousand dollars, shall be
awarded by the appropriate officer, board or agency of a political
subdivision or of any district therein including but not limited to a
soil conservation district to the lowest responsible bidder furnishing
the required security after advertisement for sealed bids in the manner
provided by this section, provided, however, that purchase contracts
(including contracts for service work, but excluding any purchase
contracts necessary for the completion of a public works contract pursu-
ant to article eight of the labor law) may be awarded on the basis of
best value, as defined in section one hundred sixty-three of the state
finance law, to a responsive and responsible bidder or offerer in the
manner provided by this section except that in a political subdivision
other than a city with a population of one million inhabitants or more
or any district, board or agency with jurisdiction exclusively therein
the use of best value of awarding a purchase contract or purchase
contracts must be authorized by local law or, in the case of a district
corporation, school district or board of cooperative educational
services, by rule, regulation or resolution adopted at a public meeting.
ALL SUBMITTED BIDS FOR SUCH PUBLIC WORK CONTRACTS SHALL BE FOR A FIXED-
DOLLAR AMOUNT. In determining whether a purchase is an expenditure with-
in the discretionary threshold amounts established by this subdivision,
the officer, board or agency of a political subdivision or of any
district therein shall consider the reasonably expected aggregate amount
of all purchases of the same commodities, services or technology to be
made within the twelve-month period commencing on the date of purchase.
S. 119 4
Purchases of commodities, services or technology shall not be arti-
ficially divided for the purpose of satisfying the discretionary buying
thresholds established by this subdivision. A change to or a renewal of
a discretionary purchase shall not be permitted if the change or renewal
would bring the reasonably expected aggregate amount of all purchases of
the same commodities, services or technology from the same provider
within the twelve-month period commencing on the date of the first
purchase to an amount greater than the discretionary buying threshold
amount. In any case where a responsible bidder's or responsible
offerer's gross price is reducible by an allowance for the value of used
machinery, equipment, apparatus or tools to be traded in by a political
subdivision, the gross price shall be reduced by the amount of such
allowance, for the purpose of determining the low bid or best value. In
cases where two or more responsible bidders furnishing the required
security submit identical bids as to price, such officer, board or agen-
cy may award the contract to any of such bidders. Such officer, board or
agency may, in his, her or its discretion, reject all bids or offers and
readvertise for new bids or offers in the manner provided by this
section.
S 4. Subdivision 2 of section 103 of the general municipal law, as
amended by section 4 of chapter 608 of the laws of 2011, is amended to
read as follows:
2. Advertisement for bids and offers shall be published in the offi-
cial newspaper or newspapers, if any, or otherwise in a newspaper or
newspapers designated for such purpose. Such advertisement shall contain
a statement of the time when and place where all bids received pursuant
to such notice will be publicly opened and read and where the identity
of all offerers will be publicly disclosed, and the designation of the
receiving device if the political subdivision or district has authorized
the receipt of bids and offers in an electronic format. SUCH ADVERTISE-
MENT SHALL DESCRIBE SPECIFICALLY THE NATURE OF THE WORK, INCLUDING THE
TYPE OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED, AND ENABLE THE BIDDER TO COMPLY WITH PARA-
GRAPH (C) OF SUBDIVISION THREE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY OF THE
LABOR LAW. Such board or agency may by resolution designate any officer
or employee to open the bids and offers at the time and place specified
in the notice. Such designee shall make a record of such bids and offers
in such form and detail as the board or agency shall prescribe and pres-
ent the same at the next regular or special meeting of such board or
agency. All bids received shall be publicly opened and read at the time
and place so specified and the identity of all offerers shall be public-
ly disclosed at the time and place so specified. At least five days
shall elapse between the first publication of such advertisement and the
date so specified for the opening and reading of bids and offers.
S 5. Subdivision 2 of section 103 of the general municipal law, as
amended by section 5 of chapter 608 of the laws of 2011, is amended to
read as follows:
2. Advertisement for bids and offers shall be published in the offi-
cial newspaper or newspapers, if any, or otherwise in a newspaper or
newspapers designated for such purpose. Such advertisement shall contain
a statement of the time when and place where all bids received pursuant
to such notice will be publicly opened and read and where the identity
of all offerers will be publicly disclosed. SUCH ADVERTISEMENT SHALL
DESCRIBE SPECIFICALLY THE NATURE OF THE WORK, INCLUDING THE TYPE OF WORK
TO BE PERFORMED, AND ENABLE THE BIDDER TO COMPLY WITH PARAGRAPH (C) OF
SUBDIVISION THREE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY OF THE LABOR LAW. Such
board or agency may by resolution designate any officer or employee to
S. 119 5
open the bids and offers at the time and place specified in the notice.
Such designee shall make a record of such bids and offers in such form
and detail as the board or agency shall prescribe and present the same
at the next regular or special meeting of such board or agency. All bids
received shall be publicly opened and read at the time and place so
specified and the identity of all offerers shall be publicly disclosed
at the time and place so specified. At least five days shall elapse
between the first publication of such advertisement and the date so
specified for the opening and reading of bids and offers.
S 6. The second undesignated paragraph of section 135 of the state
finance law, as amended by section 3 of part MM of chapter 57 of the
laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
Such specifications must be so drawn as to permit separate and inde-
pendent bidding upon each of the above three subdivisions of work. All
contracts hereafter awarded by the state or a department, board, commis-
sioner or officer thereof, for the erection, construction or alteration
of buildings, or any part thereof, shall award the three subdivisions of
the above specified work separately to responsible and reliable persons,
firms or corporations engaged in these classes of work. A contract for
one or more buildings in any project shall be awarded to the lowest
responsible bidder for all the buildings included in the specifications.
ALL SUCH SPECIFICATIONS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL DESCRIBE
SPECIFICALLY THE NATURE OF THE WORK, INCLUDING THE TYPE OF WORK TO BE
PERFORMED, AND ENABLE THE BIDDER TO COMPLY WITH PARAGRAPH (C) OF SUBDI-
VISION THREE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY OF THE LABOR LAW. EACH BIDDER
FOR ANY PROJECT UNDER THIS ARTICLE SHALL SUBMIT BIDS FOR A FIXED-DOLLAR
AMOUNT.
S 7. Paragraphs a and d of subdivision 6 of section 2590-p of the
education law, paragraph a as added by chapter 738 of the laws of 1988
and paragraph d as amended by chapter 91 of the laws of 2002, are
amended to read as follows:
a. For each project included in an approved five-year educational
facilities capital plan, the chancellor shall develop a detailed scope
of the project, which shall include the following: (i) the purposes and
public to be served, (ii) the programs to be conducted in the facility,
(iii) the gross amounts of space and bulk for any building or structure,
(iv) identification of the intent to use architectural, engineering or
other consultant services and estimated fees for such consultant
services (v) the schedule of design and construction, (vi) the total
estimated project costs, including costs for site acquisition, prepara-
tion and tenant relocation, design, construction and equipment, (vii)
maximum estimated expenditures for the project for each fiscal year
until its completion, (viii) costs associated with maintenance and oper-
ation of the physical plant and (ix) such other information as the chan-
cellor shall specify. In the event, a project consists of a program
element without identification of the particular education facility at
which such project is to be performed, the detailed scope of the project
shall specify the nature of the work to be performed, applicable price
and quality standards, a list of the schools eligible for such work,
annual performance targets and the total estimated costs of such project
during each fiscal year until its completion. ALL SUCH ESTIMATED COSTS
AND PRICES SHALL BE FOR A FIXED-DOLLAR AMOUNT.
d. For projects to be funded pursuant to subdivision four of this
section, the chancellor shall transmit the detailed scope of each such
project to the director of management and budget of the city for
approval.
S. 119 6
(i) Except as provided in paragraph b of this subdivision, no expenses
shall be incurred by the city board or the authority for any such
project prior to approval of the detailed scope of any such project.
SUCH DETAILED SCOPE OF THE PROJECT SHALL DESCRIBE SPECIFICALLY THE
NATURE OF THE WORK, INCLUDING THE TYPE OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED.
(ii) No detailed scope of project shall be approved unless the total
estimated costs of such project, together with the aggregate estimated
costs of all projects for which a detailed scope has theretofore been
approved, are within city capital budget appropriations available there-
for. A detailed scope of project that is not disapproved by the director
of management and budget within thirty days of its submission shall be
deemed approved. To the extent the director disapproves all or part of a
scope, he or she shall set forth in writing the reasons therefor.
(iii) Upon approval of the detailed scope of project, the chancellor
shall refer such project to the New York city school construction
authority for implementation in accordance with an agreement between the
authority and the city board and shall transmit the approved project
scope to the comptroller, whereupon the total estimated costs of such
project as set forth in such approved project scope shall be available
for expenditure. ALL SUCH ESTIMATED COSTS SHALL BE FOR A FIXED-DOLLAR
AMOUNT.
(iv) Approval of the director of management and budget shall be
required for any material change in the approved detailed scope of
project or for any increase in the total cost of such project in excess
of any reserve provided in the approved detailed scope of project. Such
approval shall be given or deemed given in the manner provided herein.
(v) The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to emergency
projects undertaken pursuant to paragraph h of subdivision two of this
section, the estimated costs of which, together with the costs of other
projects undertaken pursuant to said paragraph h, does not exceed the
amount set forth in the educational facilities capital plan for activ-
ities pursuant to paragraph h of subdivision two of this section.
S 8. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law, provided however, that the amendments to subdivision
1 of section 103 of the general municipal law made by section two of
this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion of such subdi-
vision pursuant to subdivision (a) of section 41 of part X of chapter 62
of the laws of 2003, as amended, when upon such date the provisions of
section three of this act shall take effect, provided further, that the
amendments to subdivision 2 of section 103 of the general municipal law
made by section four of this act shall be subject to the expiration and
reversion of such subdivision pursuant to subdivision (a) of section 41
of part X of chapter 62 of the laws of 2003, as amended, when upon such
date the provisions of section five of this act shall take effect;
provided, further, that the amendments to paragraph d of subdivision 6
of section 2590-p of the education law made by section seven of this act
shall not affect the repeal of such paragraph and shall be deemed
repealed therewith.