Costlier public buildings, whether local, county, state or federal, can be built in Oklahoma without an architect, meaning without paying for expensive architecture services, and counties can take bids online from businesses that want contracts to do county work, under two new state laws.
Senate Bill 751 raised the construction value for an exemption from a requirement that an architect plan, design, and prepare plans and specifications for public buildings from $158,000 to $300,000. It takes effect on Nov. 1, 2025.
Senate Bill 752 allows counties to create online bidding procedures for would-be county vendors. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.
Both bills, which became laws without Gov. Kevin Stitt’s signature, will save money and time for Oklahoma County and the businesses that do business with it, County Clerk Maressa Treat said.
They will “modernize construction and purchasing procedures” and “improve outdated processes and provide better systems for Oklahoma,” she said.
“These changes are expected to improve government efficiency and save taxpayer dollars. And at the end of the day, that’s what Oklahoma taxpayers expect from us as good financial stewards,” Treat said.
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Oklahoma County Clerk Maressa Treat.
Nearly doubling the construction value exemption for public buildings will help all levels of government in Oklahoma complete smaller-scale projects more efficiently, she said.
“The current dollar limit has not kept up with inflation or rising costs for construction projects and often can cost the county more in unnecessary architectural fees for smaller projects,” Treat said. “Limited public funds can now be redirected ultimately stretching taxpayer dollars further.”
Online bidding — an option, not a requirement — will launch at the start of the next fiscal year, on July 1.
“We want all Oklahoma business owners to know we are open for business, 24/7 and this online bidding process makes it easier,” Treat said.
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The changes represent “a major step forward in modernizing the way Oklahoma County does business,” said Myles Davidson, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners. “These new laws will help us work smarter, reduce unnecessary costs and better serve our residents by streamlining outdated processes.”
The reforms mean more than cost savings, said Davidson, who represents District 3.
“They’re about building a government that keeps up with the needs of its people and makes it easier for local businesses to succeed. We’re committed to being good stewards of public funds while improving the services we provide every day,” he said.
Staff writer Richard Mize covers Oklahoma County government and the city of Edmond. He previously covered housing, commercial real estate and related topics for the newspaper and Oklahoman.com, starting in 1999. Contact him at rmize@oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma lawmakers OK online county bidding, hike architect exemption