N.Y. State Finance Law Section 135
Separate specifications for contract work for the state

Except as otherwise provided in Labor Law § 222 (Project labor agreements)section two hundred twenty-two of the labor law, every officer, board, department, commission or commissions, charged with the duty of preparing specifications or awarding or entering into contracts for the erection, construction or alteration of buildings, for the state, when the entire cost of such work shall exceed three million dollars in the counties of the Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond; one million five hundred thousand dollars in the counties of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester; and five hundred thousand dollars in all other counties within the state, must have prepared separate specifications for each of the following three subdivisions of the work to be performed:

1.

Plumbing and gas fitting.

2.

Steam heating, hot water heating, ventilating and air conditioning apparatus.

3.

Electric wiring and standard illuminating fixtures. Such specifications must be so drawn as to permit separate and independent bidding upon each of the above three subdivisions of work. All contracts hereafter awarded by the state or a department, board, commissioner or officer thereof, for the erection, construction or alteration of buildings, or any part thereof, shall award the three subdivisions of the above specified work separately to responsible and reliable persons, firms or corporations engaged in these classes of work. A contract for one or more buildings in any project shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder for all the buildings included in the specifications. Each bidder on a public work contract, where the preparation of separate specifications is not required, shall submit with its bid a separate sealed list that names each subcontractor that the bidder will use to perform work on the contract, and the agreed-upon amount to be paid to each, for:

(a)

plumbing and gas fitting, (b) steam heating, hot water heating, ventilating and air conditioning apparatus and (c) electric wiring and standard illuminating fixtures. After the low bid is announced, the sealed list of subcontractors submitted with such low bid shall be opened and the names of such subcontractors shall be announced, and thereafter any change of subcontractor or agreed-upon amount to be paid to each shall require the approval of the public owner, upon a showing presented to the public owner of legitimate construction need for such change, which shall be open to public inspection. Legitimate construction need shall include, but not be limited to, a change in project specifications, a change in construction material costs, a change to subcontractor status as determined pursuant to paragraph (e) of subdivision two of Labor Law § 222 (Project labor agreements)section two hundred twenty-two of the labor law, or the subcontractor has become otherwise unwilling, unable or unavailable to perform the subcontract. The sealed lists of subcontractors submitted by all other bidders shall be returned to them unopened after the contract award. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the authorities in charge of any state building, from performing any such branches of work by or through their regular employees, or in the case of public institutions, by the incarcerated individuals thereof.

Source: Section 135 — Separate specifications for contract work for the state, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/STF/135 (updated Aug. 13, 2021; accessed Nov. 1, 2025).

135
Separate specifications for contract work for the state 135–A
Definitions 136
Contracts in pursuance of appropriations 136–A
Contracts for architectural, engineering, geological, landscape architecture and surveying services 136–B
Selection of underwriters by state agencies 136–C
Contracts for employee training and organizational development services 136–D
Contracts involving industrial painting and industrial coatings 136–D*2
Contracts involving low embodied carbon concrete 137
Bond to secure payment of certain claims arising from a public improvement 138
State contracts not to be assigned without consent 138–A
Commencement of actions on state public works contracts 139
Retained percentages 139–A
Ground for cancellation of contract by state 139–B
Disqualification to contract with state 139–C
Removal of disqualification of public contractors by petition 139–D
Statement of non-collusion in bids to the state 139–E
Security bonds 139–F
Payment on public work projects 139–G
Obligations to make contracts available to small and certified women and minority-owned business concerns 139–H
Participation in an international boycott prohibited 139–I
Obligations with respect to procurement contracts with New York state and foreign business enterprises 139–J
Restrictions on contacts during the procurement process 139–K
Disclosure of contacts and responsibility of offerers 139–L
Statement on sexual harassment, in bids 139–M
Statement on gender-based violence and the workplace, in bids 140
Disposition of deposit accompanying bid 141
Claims against contractors 142
Workmen’s compensation insurance on public works 143
Deposits on plans and specifications for contracts for public work 144
Opening and reading of bids for contracts for public work 145
Acceptance of final payment under a state contract 146
Certain construction contracts involving steel 147
Mentor-protege program 148
Certain contracts involving personal protective equipment and medical supplies
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Verified:
Nov. 1, 2025

Last modified:
Aug. 13, 2021

§ 135. Separate specifications for contract work for the state's source at nysenate​.gov

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