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LouisianaHB 8872026 Regular SessionHouse

PUBLIC CONTRACT/BIDS: Provides for modifications to the Construction Management at Risk option in Public Bid Law (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Sponsored By: Jack McFarland (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Transportation, Highways and Public Works

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

More open reviews for Louisiana construction

Louisiana sets public review rules for Construction Management at Risk (CMAR), a method for awarding public construction contracts. The project owner appoints no more than five committee members: its representative, an outside design professional, an outside licensed-contractor representative, and two other qualified professionals. A quorum must include the owner's representative and at least one qualified design professional and contractor representative. This quorum is required for selection discussions, scoring, interviews, presentations, and publishing results. Members must sign ethics statements before any meeting. Before the committee receives or reviews proposals or conducts business, a public meeting must explain the project, scoring, and duties. Requests for qualifications must be advertised at least twice during the 30 days before responses are due. Notices must appear in the owner's official journal and website, if one exists, plus Louisiana's official journal and any project-notice or electronic-bidding systems used. Members rank proposals in each scoring section: first earns three points, second two, and third one. The top three qualifying proposers receive in-person interviews and presentations; all receive them if only one or two qualify. Remote participation requires the owner to document a governor-declared emergency, force majeure, or other good cause in writing. Members then score again using written proposals and interviews, break ties by ranking, and recommend the highest-scoring proposer. After closed discussion of interview results, the committee announces and publishes scores and its recommendation in an open meeting. It must issue a written recommendation within 90 days after the response deadline, with results and score sheets publicly accessible. Scoring decisions are generally final.

Easier contractor paperwork, but no price offers

For Louisiana CMAR contracts, public entities cannot require audited financial statements to prove a contractor's financial stability. A bonding commitment letter is sufficient when dated within 30 days of the proposal due date. It must cover payment and performance bonds equal to the project's maximum estimated cost. But before selection, requests, responses, interviews, and presentations cannot request, accept, or consider proposed fees, compensation, or general-conditions amounts. These are amounts for managing and running the construction project. The owner sets the total preconstruction-services fee rather than asking contractors to offer one. Selection rests on qualifications and other non-price factors. If a rule conflicts with federal grant requirements, only that rule is inapplicable; the remaining rules stay in place.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jack McFarland

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 240 • No: 0

House vote • 5/27/2026

Read by title, roll called, yeas 99, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

Yes: 99 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/20/2026

Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 36 • No: 0

House vote • 4/13/2026

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 89, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 89 • No: 0

House vote • 4/7/2026

Reported with amendments

Yes: 16 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 680.

    6/1/2026House

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

    6/1/2026House

  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    5/29/2026House

  4. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/28/2026House

  5. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/28/2026Senate

  6. Read by title, roll called, yeas 99, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

    5/27/2026House

  7. Scheduled for concurrence on 05/27/2026.

    5/26/2026House

  8. Received from the Senate with amendments.

    5/25/2026House

  9. Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    5/20/2026Senate

  10. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

    5/13/2026Senate

  11. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/12/2026Senate

  12. Reported with amendments.

    5/11/2026Senate

  13. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

    4/14/2026Senate

  14. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 89, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    4/13/2026House

  15. Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    4/13/2026Senate

  16. Scheduled for floor debate on 04/13/2026.

    4/9/2026House

  17. Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

    4/8/2026House

  18. Reported with amendments (16-0).

    4/7/2026House

  19. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

    3/9/2026House

  20. Prefiled.

    2/27/2026House

  21. Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

    2/27/2026House

  22. First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

    2/27/2026House

Bill Text

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