Committee reports bill allowing A+B bidding as an option for DOTD contracts

The House Transportation Committee on May 27 voted to report Senate Bill 216 favorably, a proposal to add A+B bidding as an option in Title 48 for Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) projects so that contract awards can consider both cost and completion time.

Senator Hodges, the bill’s author, described the approach: “A is cost, B is time.” She said A+B bidding would be an additional tool for DOTD — not a requirement — intended to incentivize contractors to finish projects faster at efficient prices.

Supporters at the hearing framed the change as a way to reduce long project durations and traffic impacts. Representative Chamblehorn said construction slowdowns since the COVID period have extended timelines and that tighter time incentives could speed completion. Senator Hodges said some projects in her district had been under contract for many years and argued A+B bidding would push for timelier work.

Committee paperwork and supporters included representatives from contracting associations and DOTD officials; Secretary Donahue provided information to the committee. The committee moved and ordered the bill reported favorably; no objections were raised.

The bill’s proponents emphasized it does not compel DOTD to use A+B scoring on every project but to consider it as another procurement method alongside existing approaches such as low‑bid, design‑build and public‑private partnerships. No amendments were adopted in committee testimony, and supporters said they will continue discussions with DOTD and contractors on implementation details.