SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3191

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

      The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3191.

      As reported, this bill permits the New Jersey Transportation Research Bureau (bureau) within the Department of Transportation (department) to award research contracts to private research institutions of higher education and certain other entities. 

     Under current law, the bureau is required to award research contracts only to New Jersey public research institutions of higher education, except when the manager of the bureau (manager) makes a written determination that additional competition in terms of quality of work product, timeliness of work product delivery, or availability of specific transportation expertise from entities other than New Jersey public research institutions will benefit the department.

     The bill removes a provision that authorizes the manager to allow for competitive bidding for research contracts when doing so will benefit the department. The bill requires the bureau to determine whether awarding a research contract to a public or private research institution of higher education or another entity is in the public interest and provides that the manager has a duty to establish and maintain relationships with private research institutions of higher education and other entities. 

     Additionally, the bill changes the definition of “entities” to include entities other than non-profit organizations.