Bill > S1644

This bill, concerning timely decisions by awarding authorities, amends Chapter 30 of the General Laws to ensure that when a contract requires an awarding authority, official, architect, or engineer to make a decision on matters like interpreting specifications or approving materials, that decision must be made within 15 days of a written submission. If a decision requires more extensive review, the awarding authority must provide written notice within those 15 days, explaining the delay and setting a new decision date. The bill also mandates that awarding authorities designate employees to handle contractor inquiries about submission status and to certify efforts to expedite decisions. Furthermore, a reporting system will be implemented to track all written submissions, decision dates, issues addressed, and any delays, with this data compiled and reported twice yearly to legislative clerks, committee chairs, and the inspector general, who can investigate these filings.