S495 Summary: Zoo State Construction Exemptions

• Exempts the North Carolina Zoological Park from state construction office plan review and approval requirements under G.S. 143-341(3) for projects costing $2 million or less.

• Grants the Zoological Park Council and Department of Natural and Cultural Resources authority to conduct fee negotiations, supervise contracts, and manage design and construction for qualifying projects.

• Requires the Council and Department to develop procedures for contract management, open-end design agreements, and use of existing plans and specifications, subject to State Building Commission approval.

• Mandates use of standard state contracts for design and construction and prohibits contract division to circumvent the $2 million threshold.

• Requires annual reporting to the State Building Commission listing projects, estimated versus actual costs, awarded contractors, and minority business participation.