by Geoffrey Corey  |  April 1, 2015

We are excited to report that around 3 a.m. on April 1, the New York State Legislature passed a budget for 2015-2016 that included a two-year renewal of design-build authority for select agencies. New York State first approved design-build authority in 2011, and has entered into dozens of design-build contracts since then, including one for the multi-billion dollar Tappan Zee Bridge replacement.

The Governor’s office released a statement saying, “the Budget extends design-build construction authority for two additional years. This important re-authorization allows the State to continue to accelerate project delivery schedules, reduce project costs, create jobs for New Yorkers, and fully engage private sector efficiencies in the development of public infrastructure projects.”

According to the Governor’s office, the Budget also includes “$65 million for transformative infrastructure projects. Funding will support a statewide initiative to finance large-scale, complex infrastructure projects across the State and mobilize innovative project delivery methods, including design-build and public private partnerships.”

As was the case with the 2011 legislation, the authority extends to the following agencies only:

• Thruway authority
• Department of Transportation
• Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
• Department of Environmental Conservation
• New York State Bridge Authority.

Thank you to everyone who worked hard on this, in particular DBIA Liberty Region leaders Andrew Claus and Steven Ruether, and DBIA’s Director of State/Local Legislative Affairs Richard Thomas. This story is still developing, and we will keep you updated as we find out more information here on DesignBuildDoneRight.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.