Fiscal Highlights - November 2013

The Executive Appropriations Committee recently received an update on PRADA's activities.  At the urging of the Governor's Office, PRADA has postponed the release of a Request for Proposal (RFP) until spring of 2014.

During the 2013 General Session, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 72, "Prison Relocation and Development Amendments," which modified the Prison Relocation and Development Authority (PRADA).  Among other things, the bill required PRADA to "issue a request for proposals inviting persons to submit proposals on a new prison development project, current prison land development project, or master development project."  Based on the information gathered in the proposals, the authority should make a recommendation to the Governor and the Legislature.

PRADA has met nine times and toured facilities in Utah and Arizona.  The committee has hired an executive secretary, an appraiser to appraise the property in Draper, a cost estimator to determine the cost to bring current Draper buildings up to proper standards, and a programming consultant.

The authority prepared an RFP requesting bids for a new prison facility and for developing the land in Draper.  However, the Governor did not sign the RFP and asked for more time.  PRADA has asked the programming consultant to continue to study the issues and come back with recommendations in the spring, at which time the committee hopes to issue the RFP.

Lane Summerhays, who chairs the committee, anticipates the authority will make a final recommendation in time for the 2015 General Session.  In the meantime, he expressed that there is an immediate need for more corrections beds.  He hopes a master plan will be available to the Legislature by the 2014 General Session to help legislators decide whether to fund the beds at Gunnison or take an alternative course of action.

The Legislature appropriated $430,000 ongoing and $680,000 one-time in FY 2014 to implement the bill.  As of October 18, 2013, the authority had spent or obligated $595,800, leaving a balance of $514,200.  The appropriation is nonlapsing.

The following chart, prepared by the programming consultant, shows a draft timeline to issuance of an RFP for phase one of designing new facilities.