Committee approves multiple state contract actions, defers one amid protest questions

A legislative contracts committee reviewed an agenda of 240 items totaling $5,373,228,068.25 and approved multiple contract and memorandum-of-agreement actions while deferring a single contested contract for further information.

The committee voted to move through the bulk list and then took up several pulled items for discussion. Law‑office contingency fee panels presented by the attorney general’s office, a University of Kentucky capital design contract, state facilities architectural teams, highway engineering work, juvenile justice medical staffing and several memorandum‑of‑agreement items were the principal substantive items. One Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) amendment with a protest on an RFP was referred for more detail at lawmakers’ request.

Committee members said the session was intended to provide oversight of large spending decisions, to clarify time lines and funding sources, and to ask for extra detail where bids, protests, or large increases were involved.

Attorney general contingency contracts

The committee considered seven contingency‑fee panel contracts proposed by the Office of the Attorney General. Presenters told lawmakers the contract documents show maximum contingency fees — in this cycle up to $20 million per firm — but that such figures are not guaranteed payouts and are governed by the statutory distribution “waterfall.” Chris Lewis, division chief for consumer and senior protection, said the waterfall calculation means, for example, a $20 million fee would require roughly a $355 million recovery to reach that maximum fee level.

“This is not a guaranteed amount,” Justin Clark, assistant deputy attorney general and chief of the civil division, told the committee. Clark and other office lawyers said the contracts are intended to create a panel of specialist firms the attorney general can appoint to individual cases as needed.

After questions, the committee considered items 1–7 together and approved them for placement on the routine list.

University of Kentucky capital project

Lawmakers questioned a University of Kentucky contract for architectural services tied to a new College of Agriculture, Food and Environment project. The university representative told the committee the design contract covers the design team (architects, structural and MEP engineers and other specialties) and that the goal is substantial completion by the end of 2026, with a total project cost of about $23 million and one year of warranty walk‑throughs after that.

“Substantially complete, have the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment moved into the building by the end of 2026,” the university representative said. Senators on the committee pressed for…