HB5603 - Relating to a requirement for the Texas Department of Transportation to disclose certain service contract information and provide notice regarding certain changes to a contract.

  89R14965 RDR-F     By: Phelan H.B. No. 5603       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a requirement for the Texas Department of   Transportation to disclose certain service contract information   and provide notice regarding certain changes to a contract.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 223.0042, Transportation Code, is   amended to read as follows:          Sec. 223.0042.  CONTRACT INFORMATION ON INTERNET WEBSITE.   (a) In this section, "engineering-related services" has the   meaning assigned by Section 223.041(a).           (b)   The department shall make available on the department's   Internet website a listing describing each contract awarded by the   commission for a highway construction project.  The listing must   include for each project:                (1)  the funding program source contract awardee,   including subcontractors and historically underutilized business   and disadvantaged business enterprise participants and percentage   of contract; and                (2)  each department transportation district in which   the contract will be performed.           (c)     Not later than the 30th day after the date the   commission awards an engineering-related services contract, the   department shall make information related to the contract available   on the department's Internet website, including:                 (1)  the contract number;                 (2)  the primary firm involved in the contract;                 (3)  the total contract amount, in dollars;                 (4)  the date of the contract's execution;                 (5)  the termination date of the contract;                 (6)  the type of contract;                 (7)     whether the contract is a specific-deliverable or   indefinite-deliverable contract;                 (8)  a general description of the scope of services;                 (9)     work authorizations, supplemental work   authorizations, and supplemental agreements issued to date;                 (10)     the total amount paid, in dollars, under the   contract to date;                 (11)     a list of the geographic areas covered by the   contract; and                 (12)     any notifications or notices relating to the   contract issued under Section 223.041.           (d)     The department shall update the department's Internet   website with the information required under Subsection (c) at least   weekly.          SECTION 2.  Section 223.041, Transportation Code, is amended   by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:           (c)     If a work authorization has been issued by the   department for an engineering-related services contract, the   department shall notify the contractor in writing if the department   determines that the schedule or table of deliverables identified in   a contract or work authorization must be slowed, stopped, paused,   or otherwise altered for any reason.   This notification must be   given to the contractor at least 90 days before the effective date   of any change to the contract's schedule or table of deliverables.           (d)     If the department notifies a contractor for an   engineering-related services contract of an alteration to the   schedule or table of deliverables under Subsection (c), the   district, area-office, division, or other office within the   department that issued the notice shall report the notice in   writing to the executive director, the deputy executive director of   the department, and the chief engineer of the department not later   than three days after the date the notice was issued. Not later   than 10 days after the date the notice was issued, the department   shall post the notice on the department's Internet website in the   same location the contract information described by Section   223.0042(c) is posted for the corresponding engineering-related   services contract.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.