Amend CSHB 2702 by adding the following appropriately
numbered SECTION and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill
accordingly:
SECTION ___. Sections 223.041(b), (c), and (d),
Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b) The department, in setting a minimum level of
expenditures in these engineering-related activities that will be
paid to the private sector providers, shall provide that [index the
level of expenditures from the amount set by rider in the General
Appropriations Act enacted by the 75th Legislature at its regular
session in 1997, expressed as a percentage of the total funds
appropriated in Strategy A.1.1. Plan/Design/Manage.
[(c) Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the department shall
increase its expenditures to private sector providers for
engineering related services at least one percentage point per year
until] the expenditure level for a state fiscal year in all
strategies paid to private sector providers for all department
engineering-related services for transportation projects is not
less than [reaches a minimum of] 35 percent of the total funds
appropriated in Strategy A.1.1. Plan/Design/Manage and Strategy
A.1.2. of the General Appropriations Act for that state fiscal
biennium. The department shall attempt to make expenditures for
engineering-related services with private sector providers under
this subsection with historically underutilized businesses, as
defined by Section 2161.001, Government Code, in an amount
consistent with the applicable provisions of the Government Code,
any applicable state disparity study, and in accordance with the
good-faith-effort procedures outlined in the rules adopted by the
Texas Building and Procurement Commission [General Services
Commission].
[(d) The commission shall provide for hearings at which
private sector complaints relating to the selection process are
heard.]