HB377: HB377 Buildings and housing; manufactured homes; provisions

Despite its bill title referencing manufactured homes, the text of this Senate substitute actually rewrites Georgia's rules for how local and state governments hire professionals like architects, engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, and interior designers. Currently, state agencies follow a qualifications-based selection process under Chapter 22 of Title 50 (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 22), while counties and cities have separate, less detailed contracting rules under Title 32 and Title 36. The bill creates a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 36-91-3, requiring counties, municipalities, and consolidated governments to use the same qualifications-based selection process as the state for professional service contracts above a cost threshold, rather than simply soliciting multiple bids. It also updates definitions in the state managerial control law to formally include local governments, sets rules for evaluating proposals, allows negotiations when only one qualified bidder responds, and permits multiparty on-demand service contracts. The changes would take effect July 1, 2027.

• Creates a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 36-91-3) requiring counties, municipalities, and consolidated governments to use a qualifications-based selection process for hiring architects, engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, and interior designers on larger projects.
• Amends O.C.G.A. §§ 32-4-63 and 32-4-113 to exempt professional services contracts covered by the new selection process from the existing two-estimate bidding requirement for counties and municipalities.
• Expands the definitions in O.C.G.A. § 50-22-2 (the state's managerial control law for professional services) to explicitly cover local governments, not just state agencies.
• Bars local governments from requiring cost estimates from professional service providers before or during the qualifications submission and negotiation process.
• Allows local governments to enter multiparty 'on-demand' contracts with multiple qualified providers and to expand existing provider relationships without a new competitive process.
• Authorizes local governments to adopt their own ordinances, resolutions, or regulations to carry out these new procurement rules.

Georgia county and municipal governments that hire architects, engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, or interior designers; the professionals and firms who compete for those public contracts; and state agencies already subject to the existing professional services procurement law.

Local governments would have to switch from simple bid comparisons to a formal qualifications-based selection process for many professional service contracts, potentially changing which firms win public work and how quickly governments can hire them, while also limiting when providers must submit cost estimates upfront.

• Section 1 and 2 revise O.C.G.A. §§ 32-4-63 and 32-4-113 so counties and municipalities must use the new qualifications-based process under § 36-91-3 for professional services, exempting those contracts from the standard two-estimate rule.
• Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 36-91-3, defining 'local government' and 'professional services,' and setting out the qualifications-based selection procedure, including criteria local governments may consider and sole-bidder negotiation rules.
• Section 5 revises definitions in O.C.G.A. § 50-22-2 to include 'local government' and adjust the meaning of 'agency' to cover both state agencies and local governments.
• Section 6 updates O.C.G.A. § 50-22-4 to require agencies (now including local governments in concept) to evaluate at least three qualified candidates and interview them before selecting finalists.
• Section 7 revises exemptions in O.C.G.A. § 50-22-7, including the predesign services exemption threshold of $75,000.00 in professional service costs.
• Section 8 authorizes local governments to adopt ordinances, resolutions, or regulations implementing these procurement rules, alongside state agencies' existing rulemaking authority.
• Section 9 sets the effective date as July 1, 2027.

1. 2026-03-03Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2026-03-03Senate Third Read (Senate)
3. 2026-02-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-01-28Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
5. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
6. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)
8. 2025-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)

• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)Primary sponsor
• James Burchett (R, HD-176)
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)
• Will Wade (R, HD-009)
• Spencer Frye (D, HD-122)
• Carl Gilliard (D, HD-162)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 28, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 9 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #118

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2026

   45 yea, 6 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #602

• local government contracting
• public works bidding
• professional licensing
• county and municipal government
• government procurement