Issues

HR 1980 (Kilpatrick)

SAFETY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND FUNDING EFFICIENCY FOR TRANSPORTATION (SAFE-T)

Increasingly state and local transportation agencies are spending hundreds of millions of federal dollars on private contracts for architectural, engineering, construction inspection and related transportation services without determining if these contracts are cost effective, result in the construction of safe projects, or in any way serve the public interest.

The Safety, Accountability and Funding Efficiency for Transportation (SAFE-T) legislation proposed for inclusion in the TEA-21 reauthorization will ensure taxpayers receive safe, high quality transportation services at the best possible price by requiring state and local transportation agencies to prepare a cost-benefit analysis, and assess the past performance and political contribution histories of contractors, prior to contracting for transportation services.

Specifically, SAFE-T requires government agencies to prepare a:

COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS for any private contract proposed to utilize $100,000 or more of Federal funds. The analysis must outline the cost of doing the proposed work by private contract or with government agency employees and assess the potential impacts on project delivery and public safety.

PERFORMANCE HISTORY of the private contractor proposed to receive a contract, including a description of previous work performed for government agencies and an assessment of whether the contractor has delivered government projects safely, on schedule and within budget.

POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION HISTORY of the private contractor with whom the government agency is proposing to contract for transportation services.

SAFE-T accountability provisions would not apply when the work is of an emergency, specialty or intermittent nature. SAFE-T also allows government agencies to use the federal Brooks Act, their own qualification-based selection criteria, or any other fair, competitive procurement process.

National Association of State Highway
and Transportation Unions
455 Capitol Mall, Suite 501
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-446-0584 | Fax: 916-446-0489