Design-Build Contracts

V.S.A. tit. 19, ch. 26, subch. 1

in effect

19 V.S.A. § 2601 Definitions

2601. Definitions As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates: (1) “Best value” means the highest overall value to the State, considering quality and cost. (2) “Design-build contracting” means a method of project delivery where a single entity is contractually responsible to perform design, construction, and related services. (3) “Major participant” means any entity that would have a major role in the design or construction of the project as specified by the Agency in the request for proposals. (4) “Project” means the highway, bridge, railroad, airport, trail, transportation, building, or other improvement being constructed or rehabilitated, including all professional services, labor, equipment, materials, tools, supplies, warranties, and incidentals needed for a complete and functioning product. (5) “Proposal” means an offer by the proposer to design and construct the project in accordance with all request-for-proposals provisions for the price contained in the proposal. (6) “Proposer” means an individual, firm, corporation, limited-liability company, partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship, or other entity that submits a proposal. After contract execution, the successful proposer is the design-builder. (7) “Quality” means those features that the Agency determines are most important to the project. Quality criteria may include quality of design, constructability, long-term maintenance costs, aesthetics, local impacts, traveler and other user costs, service life, time to construct, and other factors that the Agency considers to be in the best interests of the State. Added 2009, No. 50, § 84; amended 2021, No. 20, § 109.

19 V.S.A. § 2602 Authorization

2602. Authorization (a) Notwithstanding section 10 of this title or any other provision of law, the Agency may use design-build contracting to deliver projects. The Agency may evaluate and select proposals on either a best-value or a low-bid basis. If the scope of work requires substantial engineering judgment, the quality of which may vary significantly as determined by the Agency, then the basis of award shall be best-value. (b) The Agency shall identify those projects it believes are candidates for design-build contracting, including those involving extraordinary circumstances, such as emergency work, unscheduled projects, or loss of funding. (c) The Agency retains the authority to terminate the contracting process at any time, to reject any proposal, to waive technicalities, or to advertise for new proposals if the Agency determines that it is in the best interests of the State. Added 2009, No. 50, § 84; amended 2021, No. 20, § 110.

19 V.S.A. § 2603 Prequalification

2603. Prequalification (a) The Agency may require that entities be prequalified to submit proposals. If the Agency requires prequalification, it shall give public notice requesting qualifications from interested entities electronically through the Agency’s publicly accessible website or through advertisements in newspapers. The Agency shall issue a request-for-qualifications package to all entities requesting one in accordance with the notice. (b) Interested entities shall supply for themselves and for all major participants all information required by the Agency. The Agency may investigate and verify all information received. All financial information, trade secrets, or other information customarily regarded as confidential business information submitted to the Agency shall be confidential. (c) The Agency shall evaluate and rate all entities submitting a conforming statement of qualifications and select the most qualified entities to receive a request for proposals. The Agency may select any number of entities, except that if the Agency fails to prequalify at least two entities, the Agency shall readvertise the project. Added 2009, No. 50, § 84.

19 V.S.A. § 2604 Request for proposals

2604. Request for proposals The Agency may issue a request for proposals, which shall set forth the scope of work, design parameters, construction requirements, time constraints, and all other requirements that have a substantial impact on the cost or quality of the project and the project development process, as determined by the Agency. The request for proposals shall include the criteria for acceptable proposals. For projects to be awarded on a best-value basis, the scoring process and quality criteria must also be contained in the request for proposals. In the Agency’s discretion, the request for proposals may provide for a process, including the establishment of a team to review proposals, for the Agency to review conceptual technical elements of each proposal before full proposal submittal for the purposes of identifying defects that would cause rejection of the proposal as nonresponsive. All such conceptual submittals and responses shall be confidential until award of the contract. The request for proposals may also provide for a stipend upon specified terms to unsuccessful proposers that submit proposals conforming to all request-for-proposals requirements. Added 2009, No. 50, § 84.

19 V.S.A. § 2605 Low-bid award

2605. Low-bid award If the basis of the award of responsive proposals is low-bid, then each proposal, including the price or prices, shall be sealed by the proposer and submitted to the Agency as one complete package. The Agency shall award the design-build contract to the proposer that submits a responsive proposal with the lowest cost, if the proposal meets all request-for-proposals requirements. Added 2009, No. 50, § 84.

19 V.S.A. § 2606 Best-value award

2606. Best-value award (a) If the basis of the award of responsive proposals is best-value, then each proposal shall be submitted by the proposer to the Agency in two separate components: a sealed technical proposal and a sealed price proposal. These two components shall be submitted simultaneously. The Agency shall first open, evaluate, and score each responsive technical proposal, based on the quality criteria contained in the request for proposals. The request for proposals may provide that the range between the highest and lowest quality scores of responsive technical proposals must be limited to an amount certain. During this evaluation process, the price proposals shall remain sealed, and all technical proposals shall be confidential. (b) After completion of the evaluation of the technical proposals, the Agency shall open and review each price proposal. The Agency shall develop a system for assessing the cost and quality criteria. The Agency shall award the contract to the proposer of the project representing the best value to the Agency. Added 2009, No. 50, § 84.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/19/026Fetched: 10/21/2026