H.R. 3963: Public Inspectors for Safe Infrastructure Act

The bill titled the Public Inspectors for Safe Infrastructure Act aims to amend section 112(b) of title 23 of the United States Code. Its main purpose is to require that construction inspection work for federally funded highway projects is performed by public employees, specifically those employed by federal, state, or local governments.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Mandatory Public Employee Inspections: State transportation departments or local transportation agencies must ensure that public employees are responsible for performing construction inspection functions on federally funded highway projects. This requirement applies to various types of contracts, including design-build and two-phase contracting.
• Exceptions for Staffing Shortages: If a state or local agency does not have enough public employees available to carry out these inspection functions, they may engage temporary consultants to fulfill this role. However, these temporary contracts can only last for up to 12 months after the contract is awarded.
• Reporting Requirements: Agencies that utilize temporary consultants must submit an annual report to the Secretary of Transportation. This report must include details on all construction inspection functions provided through temporary contracts and justification for each instance where the requirement for public employee inspections was circumvented.
• Public Transparency: The Secretary of Transportation is tasked with making these annual reports accessible to the public via the Department's website, promoting transparency regarding the use of temporary consulting services for construction oversight.

Definitions

• The term construction inspection function encompasses various activities, including construction engineering, contract administration, on-site quality control inspection, materials testing, and the roles of resident engineers responsible for project acceptance or rejection.
• Public employee is defined as an individual working for the federal government, state government, or local government.

Rationale Behind the Bill

The bill seeks to ensure that inspections for critical infrastructure projects are conducted with a focus on public accountability and quality control. By requiring public employees to perform these functions, the legislation aims to enhance oversight and ultimately improve the safety and efficacy of construction projects funded through federal resources.

Relevant Companies

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