PRINTER'S NO. 657
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
62
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY FOLMER, EICHELBERGER, BARTOLOTTA AND WHITE,
APRIL 6, 2017
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 6, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish an
advisory committee to conduct a comprehensive study of the
costs and efficiencies of the requirements under
Pennsylvania's public construction laws.
WHEREAS, Public construction in the United States is
estimated to be more than $1.1 trillion; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth accounts for a significant portion
of public construction spending; and
WHEREAS, Public construction includes a wide range of
projects, including renovations to State government buildings
and local school buildings; and
WHEREAS, Public construction constitutes a significant share
of economic activity in this Commonwealth and is a major
economic driver and job creator; and
WHEREAS, For more than 100 years, there have been no
substantive changes to this Commonwealth's public construction
laws; and
WHEREAS, During that period, as with every other industry in
the United States, major changes have occurred with technology,
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management techniques and practices, materials and the need for
greater energy efficiency in the design and construction
industry; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth, the design community, contractors,
trades people and laborers would benefit from a thorough review
and possible recommendations for stakeholders to consider
potential changes to this Commonwealth's public construction
laws; and
WHEREAS, The key principles of any changes to this
Commonwealth's public construction laws shall include
transparency, flexibility, accountability and efficiency;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Joint State Government
Commission to establish an advisory committee to compare public
and private construction projects to identify ways to improve
public construction projects; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the advisory committee be comprised of:
(1) two representatives of contractors, with one
representing merit shops and one representing union
contractors, who should have the ability to work as a
contractor and as a construction manager with bonding and
insurance capabilities;
(2) two representatives of trade unions;
(3) two merit shop contractors with more than 150 full-
time employees;
(4) two attorneys who dedicate the majority of their
practice time to construction law;
(5) two design industry representatives;
(6) three representatives of public agencies or public
sector owners specializing in the procurement process, one
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representative from the Department of General Services of the
Commonwealth, one representative from the Department of
Education of the Commonwealth and one representative from the
Department of Transportation of the Commonwealth; and
(7) two private sector owners who have built more than
$50 million in fully private construction projects within the
past three years;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the advisory committee review and analyze 20
Pennsylvania construction projects, 10 privately bid and
awarded, five bid and awarded by the Department of General
Services and five bid and awarded by school districts, to
compare the estimated original costs, bid costs, actual costs,
number and amount of change orders and estimated completion
dates and actual completion dates; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission submit a
report of the study to the Senate no later than 18 months after
the adoption of this resolution.
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