Amend CSHB 1 by adding the following language in the
appropriate section:
      VALUE ENGINEERING REQUIRED IN CERTAIN PROJECTS. The Texas
Department of Transportation shall employ value engineering in
conjunction with any project on any highway system using criteria
established by the Department and including but not limited to all
projects costing more the $2 million. For the purposes of this
section, "value engineering" shall mean a systematic process of
review and analysis of an engineering project by a team of persons
not originally involved in the project. Such team may offer
suggestions which would improve project quality and reduce total
project cost, ranging from combination or elimination of
inefficient or expensive parts or steps in the original proposal to
total redesign of the project using different technologies,
materials, or methods.
      After the review, the executive director of the Commission
may waive the requirements of this section for any project for
compelling reasons. Any such waiver shall be in writing, state the
reasons for the waiver, and apply only to a single project.