N.Y. Public Buildings Law § 19

§ 19. Manner of doing work or acquiring material. The work of\nconstruction, reconstruction, alteration, repair or improvement of any\nstate building, whether constructed or to be constructed, may be done by\nthe employment of inmate or outside labor or both and by the purchase of\nmaterials in the open market whenever in the opinion of the department\nhaving jurisdiction over such building, and the commissioner of general\nservices or his authorized representative, such a course shall be deemed\nadvantageous to the state, and only upon plans and specifications\nprepared by the commissioner of general services, but no compensation\nshall be allowed for the employment of inmate labor except convict\nlabor.\n