CS/SB 504 (Perry) and CS/CS/HB 279 (Smith, D.) address public building construction projects. CS/SB 504 requires a local government, in deciding whether it is in the public’s best interest for the local government to perform a public building construction project using its own services, to consider the estimated costs of the project using generally accepted cost-accounting principles. The bill also clarifies that a local government who issues a bidding document or other request for proposal must disclose all fees affecting the project that was put out for bid. This will have the effect of requiring a local government to disclose not only its fees associated with the project but those of another local government where such fees will impact the project put out to bid.

CS/CS/HB 279 requires a local government, in deciding whether it is in the public’s best interest for the local government to perform a public building construction project using its own services, to fully account for all costs associated with performing and completing the work, including the cost of direct materials to be used in the constructions. This is more in line with the process of how local governments are currently estimating the costs of such projects. CS/CS/HB 279 clarifies that a local government shall list all other governmental entities that may have additional permits or fees generated by the project when issuing a bidding document. (Branch)