Permits certain transportation research contracts to be awarded to private research institutions of higher education and other entities.

This bill (A6163) amends New Jersey law to allow the Transportation Research Bureau (within the Department of Transportation) to award research contracts to private research institutions of higher education and certain other entities - not just public institutions. It removes the previous requirement for the bureau manager to make a specific written determination about benefits before considering private entities, instead requiring the bureau to determine if such awards are in the public interest. The bill also expands the definition of "entities" to include more types beyond non-profits and mandates that all research contracts must consider the transportation needs of residents with disabilities. These changes aim to broaden participation in transportation research while maintaining public bidding processes.