U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) on March 29 introduced a bipartisan bill that would help engineering firms that do business in Minnesota by removing the state’s exemption from federal procurement requirements.
“For too long, an arbitrary cap on the cost of doing business has put engineering firms in Minnesota at a disadvantage,” Rep. Stauber said.
Congress has mandated that states must follow common federal procurement requirements to guide their Department of Transportation (DOT) contracts for engineering services on projects that receive federal aid. However, an exemption precluded Minnesota and West Virginia from following those federal requirements, the congressman’s office explained. As a result, the Minnesota DOT has developed practices that are inconsistent with federal regulations.
Rep. Stauber’s Parity in Engineering Act, H.R. 7847, would remove the exclusion of Minnesota from certain contracting for engineering and design services requirements, according to the text of the bill. The congressman sponsored the legislation along with a bipartisan group of four Minnesota lawmakers that included U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN). The bill was referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
“I am proud to introduce the Parity in Engineering Act to remove this barrier to business success, and I thank the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota for working with me on this critical issue,” the congressman said.
Jonathan Curry, executive director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota, applauded Rep. Stauber’s legislative effort.
“We are grateful to Congressman Stauber for introducing legislation that will be hugely beneficial to Minnesota’s engineering firms,” Curry said. “By eliminating this obstacle that has decreased competition and limited innovation, this legislation will go a long way in keeping engineering jobs in Minnesota and ensure MnDOT has access to the most qualified individuals and firms working on our state’s infrastructure projects.”