(TRENTON) – Aiming to simplify the contracting process for construction and renovation projects, the full Assembly on Monday voted 67-3-0 to approve legislation to create procedures for awarding design-build contracts.

Traditionally, public project contracts in New Jersey are awarded through a design-bid-build system, under which a contracting unit first hires an architect to design the project, then a separate contractor to build it. The procedures laid out under this bill (A-1285) would allow contracting units to use a design-build system, under which the entire project would be awarded to a single company to oversee from start to finish.

The measure’s sponsors, Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Camden, Burlington), Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti (D-Hudson) and Assemblyman Bill Moen (D-Camden, Gloucester) released the following joint statement:

“When hiring for a project, local governments and other contracting units will save time and money by hiring a single company to do the entire job rather than juggling multiple contractors. This will make the process more organized and cohesive across the board. Now more than ever, we must explore ways to boost government efficiency, reduce spending and save taxpayer dollars.”