HB1605

House Bill 1605 transforms the existing 'Construction Manager-General Contractor' (CMGC) procurement pilot program for the Arkansas State Highway Commission into a permanent program. The bill removes the temporary 'pilot' status and specific project phase limitations, allowing the Commission to utilize this procurement method for any transportation project with an estimated construction cost of up to $300 million. Additionally, the legislation repeals the statutory requirement for the Arkansas Department of Transportation to conduct and submit an independent consultant study comparing the benefits and costs of the CMGC method against traditional procurement methods. The purpose of the bill is to streamline the procurement process for transportation infrastructure projects by codifying the CMGC method as a standard option.