By: Watson S.B. No. 1651
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to comprehensive development agreements of the Texas
  Department of Transportation that include the financing, design,
  and construction of a project.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 223.201(b), Transportation Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  In this subchapter, "comprehensive development
  agreement" means an agreement that, at a minimum, provides for the
  financing, design, and construction[, rehabilitation, expansion,
  or improvement] of a project described in Subsection (a) and may
  also provide for the [financing,] acquisition, maintenance, or
  operation of a project described in Subsection (a).  For purposes of
  this subsection, construction of a project includes
  rehabilitation, expansion, or improvement of a project.
         SECTION 2.  Section 223.203, Transportation Code, is amended
  by amending Subsections (a), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (l), and (o)
  and adding Subsections (f-2) and (l-1) to read as follows:
         (a)  If the department enters into a comprehensive
  development agreement, the department shall use a competitive
  procurement process that provides the best value for the
  department.  [The department may accept unsolicited proposals for a
  proposed project or solicit proposals in accordance with this
  section.]
         (c)  If the department decides to issue a request for
  qualifications for a proposed project, the [The] department shall
  publish a notice advertising a request for competing proposals and
  qualifications in the Texas Register that includes the criteria to
  be used to evaluate the proposals, the relative weight given to the
  criteria, and a deadline by which proposals must be received [if:
               [(1)     the department decides to issue a request for
  qualifications for a proposed project; or
               [(2)     the department authorizes the further evaluation
  of an unsolicited proposal].
         (d)  A proposal submitted in response to a request published
  under Subsection (c) must contain, at a minimum, information
  regarding the private entity's qualifications, experience,
  technical competence, and capability to develop the project [the
  information required by Subsections (b)(2) and (3)].
         (e)  The department may interview a private entity
  [submitting an unsolicited proposal or] responding to a request
  under Subsection (c).  The department shall evaluate each proposal
  based on the criteria described in the request for competing
  proposals and qualifications and may qualify or shortlist private
  entities to submit detailed proposals under Subsection (f).  The
  department must qualify or shortlist at least two private entities
  to submit detailed proposals for a project under Subsection (f)
  unless the department does not receive more than one proposal or one
  response to a request under Subsection (c).
         (f)  After obtaining environmental clearance for a project,
  the [The] department shall issue a request for detailed proposals
  from all private entities qualified or shortlisted under Subsection
  (e) [or prequalified under Subsection (e-1) if the department
  proceeds with the further evaluation of a proposed project].  A
  request under this subsection may require additional information
  relating to:
               (1)  the private entity's qualifications and
  demonstrated technical competence;
               (2)  the feasibility of developing the project as
  proposed;
               (3)  engineering or architectural designs;
               (4)  the private entity's ability to meet schedules;
               (5)  a financial plan, including costing methodology
  and cost proposals; or
               (6)  any other information the department considers
  relevant or necessary.
         (f-2)  A private entity responding to a request for detailed
  proposals issued under Subsection (f) must identify:
               (1)  companies that will fill key project roles,
  including project management, lead design firm, quality control
  management, and quality assurance management; and
               (2)  entities that will serve as key task leaders for
  geotechnical, hydraulics and hydrology, structural, environmental,
  utility, and right-of-way issues.
         (g)  In issuing a request for detailed proposals under
  Subsection (f), the department may solicit input from entities
  qualified under Subsection (e) or any other person.  The department
  may also solicit input regarding alternative technical concepts
  after issuing a request under Subsection (f).  A technical solution
  presented with a proposal for a project must be complete and
  demonstrate full compliance with, and have demonstrated resources
  to be able to fulfill, all technical requirements for the project,
  including specified quality assurance and quality control program
  requirements, safety program requirements, and environmental
  program requirements.  A proposal that includes a technical
  solution that does not meet those requirements is ineligible for
  further consideration.
         (l)  A private entity selected for a comprehensive
  development agreement may not make changes to the companies or
  entities identified under Subsection (f-2) unless the original
  company or entity:
               (1)  is no longer in business, is unable to fulfill its
  legal, financial, or business obligations, or can no longer meet
  the terms of the teaming agreement with the private entity;
               (2)  voluntarily removes itself from the team;
               (3)  fails to provide a sufficient number of qualified
  personnel to fulfill the duties identified during the proposal
  stage; or
               (4)  fails to negotiate in good faith in a timely manner
  in accordance with provisions established in the teaming agreement
  proposed for the project.
         (l-1)  If the private entity makes team changes in violation
  of Subsection (l), any cost savings resulting from the change
  accrue to the state and not to the private entity.  [The department
  may require that an unsolicited proposal be accompanied by a
  nonrefundable fee sufficient to cover all or part of its cost to
  review the proposal.]
         (o)  All teaming agreements and subconsultant agreements
  must be executed and provided to the department before the
  execution of the comprehensive development agreement.  [Subchapter
  A of this chapter and Chapter 2254, Government Code, do not apply to
  a comprehensive development agreement entered into under this
  subchapter.]
         SECTION 3.  Section 223.204(a), Transportation Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  To encourage private entities to submit proposals under
  this subchapter, the following information is confidential, is not
  subject to disclosure, inspection, or copying under Chapter 552,
  Government Code, and is not subject to disclosure, discovery,
  subpoena, or other means of legal compulsion for its release until a
  final contract for a proposed project is entered into:
               (1)  all or part of a proposal that is submitted by a
  private entity for a comprehensive development agreement, except
  information described by Section 223.203(d) [provided under
  Sections 223.203(b)(1) and (2)], unless the private entity consents
  to the disclosure of the information;
               (2)  supplemental information or material submitted by
  a private entity in connection with a proposal for a comprehensive
  development agreement, unless the private entity consents to the
  disclosure of the information or material; and
               (3)  information created or collected by the department
  or its agent during consideration of a proposal for a comprehensive
  development agreement.
         SECTION 4.  Sections 223.201(f), (h), and (i) and
  223.203(b), (e-1), and (e-2), Transportation Code, are repealed.
         SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act to Section
  223.203, Transportation Code, apply only to a comprehensive
  development agreement entered into on or after the effective date
  of this Act.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.