1501.011 Preparing plans for construction and awarding of contracts.
1501.011 Preparing plans for construction and awarding of contracts.
(A) The department of natural resources has the following powers in addition to its other powers: to prepare, or contract to be prepared, surveys, general and detailed plans, specifications, bills of materials, and estimates of cost for, to enter into contracts for, and to supervise the performance of labor, the furnishing of materials, or the construction, repair, or maintenance of any projects, improvements, or buildings, on lands and waters under the control of the department, as may be authorized by legislative appropriations or any other funds available therefor.
(B) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, the director of natural resources shall publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the region where the activity for which bids are submitted is to occur and in any other newspapers that the director determines are appropriate, at least once each week for four consecutive weeks, the last publication to be at least eight days preceding the day for opening bids, seeking proposals on each contract for the performance of labor, the furnishing of materials, or the construction, repair, or maintenance of projects, improvements, or buildings, as necessary for compliance with provisions of the act to make appropriations for capital improvements or the act to make general appropriations, and the director may also advertise in such trade journals as will afford adequate information to the public of the terms of the contract and the nature of the work to be performed, together with the time of the letting and place and manner of receiving proposals, and the places where plans and specifications are on file. A proposal is invalid and shall not be considered by the department unless the form for proposals specified by the department is used without change, alteration, or addition.
(C) Each bidder for a contract for the performance of labor, the furnishing of materials, or the maintenance, construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of an improvement shall meet the requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code. The director may require each bidder to furnish under oath, upon such printed forms as the director may prescribe, detailed information with respect to the bidder’s financial resources, equipment, past performance record, organization personnel, and experience, together with such other information as the director considers necessary.
(D) The director shall award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in accordance with section 9.312 of the Revised Code. The award shall be made within a reasonable time after the date on which the bids were opened, and the successful bidder shall enter into a contract within ten days from the date the successful bidder is notified that the contract has been awarded , or within any longer period that the director considers necessary. Nothing in this section shall preclude the rejection of any bid the acceptance of which is not in the best interests of the state. No contract shall be entered into until the bureau of workers’ compensation has certified that the corporation, partnership, or person awarded the contract has complied with Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code and until, if the bidder awarded the contract is a foreign corporation, the secretary of state has certified that the corporation is authorized to do business in this state, and until, if the bidder so awarded the contract is a person or partnership nonresident of this state, the person or partnership has filed with the secretary of state a power of attorney designating the secretary of state as its agency for the purpose of accepting service of process.
(E) With respect to the director’s entering into a contract for the performance of labor, the furnishing of materials, or the construction, repair, or maintenance of any projects, improvements, or buildings on lands and waters under the control of the department, both of the following apply:
(1) The director is not required to advertise for and receive bids if the total estimated cost of the contract is less than twenty-five thousand dollars.
(2) The director is not required to advertise for bids, regardless of the cost of the contract, if the contract involves an exigency that concerns the public health, safety, or welfare or addresses an emergency situation in which timeliness is crucial in preventing the cost of the contract from increasing significantly. Regarding such a contract, the director may solicit bids by sending a letter to a minimum of three contractors in the region where the contract is to be let or by any other means that the director considers appropriate.
(F) The director may insert in any contract awarded under this section a clause providing for value engineering change proposals, under which a contractor who has been awarded a contract may propose a change in the plans and specifications of the project that saves the department time or money on the project without impairing any of the essential functions and characteristics of the project such as service life, reliability, economy of operation, ease of maintenance, safety, and necessary standardized features. If the director adopts the value engineering proposal, the savings from the proposal shall be divided between the department and the contractor according to guidelines established by the director, provided that the contractor shall receive at least fifty per cent of the savings from the proposal. The adoption of a value engineering proposal does not invalidate the award of the contract or require the director to rebid the project.
(G) When in the opinion of the department the work under any contract made under this section or any law of the state is neglected by the contractor, the work completed is deficient in quality or materials, or the work is not prosecuted with the diligence and force specified or intended in the contract, the department may require the contractor to provide, at no additional expense to the department, any additional labor and materials that are necessary to complete the improvements at the level of quality and within the time of performance specified in the contract. Procedures concerning such a requirement together with its format shall be specified in the contract. If the contractor fails to comply with the requirement within the period specified in the contract, the department may take action to complete the work through other means, up to and including termination of the contract.
(H) When an exigency occurs or there is immediate danger of an exigency that would materially impair the successful bidding, construction, or completion of a project, improvement, or building, the director may revise related plans and specifications as necessary to address the exigency through the issuance of an addendum prior to the opening of bids or, in accordance with procedures established in section 153.62 of the Revised Code, through the issuance of a change order after the contract has been awarded.
Effective Date: 11-03-1989; 04-06-2007