The State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald announced in June a new web-based process making contract documents for road and bridge projects available electronically to construction contractors.
The new system allows the DOT to be more responsive to the contracting community, and creates a more efficient process for communicating project plans to the industry and responding to questions, she said.
“Streamlining our process makes it more efficient for customers to do business with New York state and allows us to be more responsive to contractor needs,” McDonald said. “This move follows Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s direction of making it easier to do business in and with the state of New York.”
This new process is part of Cuomo’s initiative to use technology to improve collaboration and efficiency in state agency operations, officials said.
All contracting documents will now be available on www.dot.ny.gov/business for free and immediate download.
Questions and comments regarding project plans will now be received and responded to electronically. McDonald said this allows inquiries to be addressed right up to the letting date, which is the day the contractors must submit their final bids for projects. The formal amendment process will continue to be used for any changes to the original bid documents.
Previously, plans were available only on paper, CD or a fee for service website, but not on the NYSDOT website.
The new system was implemented beginning with contracts advertised for letting on July 11.
CDs will remain available for all projects with a letting date on or before September 5. CDs will not be made available for contracts let after that date, with all documents available on-line only, according to DOT.
Documents now available on-line include contract proposals, plans, supplemental information, and amendments. Potential bidders can ask contract-related questions on-line and DOT will post answers.