Change Order Reform Proposed for New York's Department of Design and Construction

"The de Blasio administration plans to unveil major changes Thursday to curb the eye-popping cost overruns and delays that have wasted millions of taxpayer dollars on municipal projects, such as a 400-square-foot park bathroom that took eight years to build," according to an article by Joe Anuta.

The Department of Design and Construction, which acts as the city's contractor for most projects, has "drafted a report [pdf] that lays out a path to bring projects in on time and on budget and make dealing with government less of a headache for vendors—which would increase competition and attract more bidders, including minority- and women-owned businesses."

"The department's report proposed a more streamlined process up front with fewer layers of approval and less room to alter designs midstream," adds Anuta.

The new rules would also "create a dedicated pot of funding for change orders, a dreaded term in the contracting business that describes project alterations during construction," according to Anuta.