N.Y. STF Law § 143

§ 143. Deposits on plans and specifications for contracts for public\nwork. 1. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of any general or\nspecial law, the board, division, department, bureau, agency, officer or\ncommission of the state charged with the duty of preparing plans and\nspecifications for and awarding or entering into contracts for the\nperformance of public work may require the payment of a fixed sum of\nmoney, not exceeding one hundred dollars, for each copy of such plans\nand specifications, by persons or corporations desiring a copy thereof.\nAny person or corporation desiring a copy of such plans and\nspecifications and making the deposit required by this section shall be\nfurnished with one copy of the plans and specifications. Notwithstanding\nthe foregoing, where payment is required it shall be waived upon request\nby minority- and women-owned business enterprises certified pursuant to\narticle fifteen-A of the executive law or by service-disabled\nveteran-owned business enterprises certified pursuant to article three\nof the veterans' services law. Such payment may also be waived when such\nplans and specifications are made available and obtained electronically\nor in any non-paper form from the board, division, department, bureau,\nagency, officer or commission of the state.\n 2. If a proposal is duly submitted by any person or corporation making\nthe deposit required by subdivision one and such proposal is accompanied\nby a certified check or other security in accordance with the\nrequirements contained in the plans and specifications or in the public\nadvertisement for bids, and provided the amount of such deposit is fifty\ndollars or more, the full amount of such deposit for one copy of the\nplans and specifications shall be returned to such person or corporation\nwithin thirty days following the award of the contract covered by such\nplans and specifications or the rejection of the bid of such person or\ncorporation provided, however, that such person or corporation shall\nhave returned the plans and specifications in good condition within the\nthirty days. If the amount of such deposit is fifty dollars or more,\npartial reimbursement, in an amount equal to the full amount of such\ndeposit for one set of plans and specifications per unsuccessful bidder\nor non-bidder less the actual cost of reproduction of the plans and\nspecifications as determined by the board, division, department, bureau,\nagency, officer or commission of the state charged with the duty of\npreparing the plans and specifications, shall be made for all other\ncopies of the plans and specifications within thirty days following the\naward of the contract or the rejection of the bids covered by such plans\nand specifications. The full amount of any such deposit made by a\nsuccessful bidder shall be refunded to said successful bidder regardless\nof the amount of such deposit.\n