Design Build New York Archives - New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE)

NYSSPE Legislative Update July 2016 – Spring Legislative Session Summary

July 5, 2016 By Anthony Fasano 2 Comments

Anthony Fasano PE, Executive Director of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) speaks with Mark Kriss, Esq., NYSSPE legislative counsel, in a legislative video summary of the 2016 spring legislative session. This summary provides the final results of the three main issues covered in our previous NYSSPE legislative videos: parking garages, fingerprinting, and NYC Design-Build. The following information describes the outcome of each topic further in detail, and provides the time stamps for the location of each topic in the video.

Parking Garage Inspections (0:29):

NYSSPE assisted in the passing of a bill which will require regular inspections for parking garages in New York. The intent of this bill is to protect the public health and safety of individuals at risk to parking garage collapses. This bill has passed both houses and NYSSPE expects that this bill will be signed by the governor.

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NYSSPE Legislative Update June 2016 – Design Build NYC Legislation Update

June 15, 2016 By Anthony Fasano 2 Comments

Anthony Fasano PE, Executive Director of New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) speaks with Mark Kriss, Esq., NYSSPE legislative counsel in our third June/July legislative video update on the proposed Design Build (in New York City) legislation.

It is important to note that, in general, NYSSPE is in favor of Design Build, as long as it is done in a way that there are proper safeguards in place to protect the public. Design Build is a complex area and there are many parameters to be aware of. You can view a comprehensive FAQ on Design Build in New York here.
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NYSSPE February 2015 Position Statement on Design Build Budget Proposal

February 23, 2015 By nysspe Leave a Comment

The following was written by Mark C. Kriss, Esq., The New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) Legislative and Legal Counsel.

Private Sector

Design Build (an alternative project delivery methodology used in lieu of Design-Bid-Build) is permitted to be employed on private sector projects in New York State, provided that the scope of design services and the amount to be paid for such services is clearly set forth in a contract executed by the project owner, the contractor and the design professional. While many, particularly in the general contractor community, maintain that the use of a three-way contract is not required and that a general contractor can contract with a design professional on project owned by a third party, the NYS Education Department unequivocally maintains that this type of an arrangement runs afoul of the State Education Law and Rules governing the design professions. A design professional should consider the potential for professional disciplinary action (e.g. fee splitting and aiding and abetting the illegal practice of engineering) before participating in a Design Build project.

Public Sector

With regard to the public sector projects in 2011 legislation was enacted on a pilot basis to permit specially named state agencies to utilize Design Build. (See position statement below for specific governmental entities authorized to use design build.) NYSSPE along with others in the design professional community, as well as the State Education Department, voiced concern regarding the failure of the 2011 legislation to expressly include quality assurance safeguards in the legislation. The original statute expired in early December 2014 (with an exemption for ongoing projects) and new legislation has been proposed by Governor Cuomo as part of his executive budget. The Society has issued, and broadly disseminated, a position statement which renews our concerns regarding the 2015 Governor’s Budget Proposal which proposes some amendments to the pilot program. A copy of the NYSSPE’s position statement is set forth below. (For additional information please consult the NYSSPE website FAQ addressing Design Build.

New York State Society of Professional Engineers

(NYSSPE) – Position Statement 2015-16 Executive Budget Proposal – [Read more…]

Design Build: A Hot Topic at the NYSSPE Fall Conference in Saratoga Springs

November 25, 2014 By nysspe Leave a Comment

The NYSSPE recently held its annual Fall Conference in Saratoga Springs, New York. The conference consisted of several interesting sessions and speakers, however one topic that stood out was Design-Build in New York State.

The NYSSPE also selected its slate of officers for 2015-2016 which will be announced in early December.

Tim Conway, PE from the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) presented a seminar entitled: The Current State of Design Build in New York State.

Conway detailed the current state of Design Build in New York State and also compared design-build to the design-bid-build process. Most of the discussion focused around the relationship and roles between designer, owner and contractor.

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The New York State 2013 Budget Bill and Its Effects on Design Build

March 27, 2013 By nysspe 2 Comments

This following is a summary of the design build provisions set forth in Governor Cuomo’s 2013 Budget and how they impact on the Design Build delivery system in New York State prepared by Mark C. Kriss, Esq. (NYSSPE Legislative and Legal Counsel). Additionally, proposed amendments are detailed below.

The Governor’s budget proposal (S 2605/A 3005 – 2013) respecting design-build in large measure mirrors the Governor’s 2011 design build legislation (S 50002/A 40002 – 2011). However, the 2013 Budget Bill applies to all state agencies and other state entities, with the exclusion of SUNY and CUNY. (The original statute authorized design-build for a limited number of state entities including the State Thruway Authority, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the State Bridge Authority.) Additionally, the original law applied to projects greater than 1.2 million dollars. The 2013 proposal eliminates the 1.2 million dollar threshold, except for projects undertaken by the Department of Transportation, Parks and Recreation and Environmental Conservation. [Read more…]