Public contracts payment transparency requirement provision, the official text

A bill for an act relating to state government; requiring payment transparency in public contracts; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 15.72, by adding a subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 15.72, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 1a.

Payment information requests.

(a) Upon written request from a contractor or subcontractor of any tier that can provide documentation of participating in the public improvement project, a public contracting agency must provide information regarding any progress payment, retainage payment, final payment, or other payment made by the contracting agency.

(b) The information provided under paragraph (a) must include:

(1) the amount of the payment;

(2) the date the payment was made or approved; and

(3) a copy of the payment application submitted by the contractor.

For highway construction contracts, a copy of the estimate or voucher generated by the public contracting agency meets this requirement.

(c) The public contracting agency must provide the requested information within seven calendar days of receipt of the request.

(d) The public contracting agency must make available to subcontractors the contact information for the public contracting agency for payment information under this section. If the public contracting agency has a website it must post the contact information on its public website for solicitations or bids or on another apparent location on its website. If a public contracting agency has an automated internet-based system to provide this information, the agency may request a requestor to use that system.

(e) No cost or fees may be charged to the contractor or subcontractor for providing information required under this section.