Bill Text: IA HF197 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: A bill for an act concerning the contract bidding process for public improvement projects conducted by the state board of regents.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-01 - Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage. [HF197 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2017-HF197-Introduced.html

---

House File 197 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  PETTENGILL and
                                     VANDER LINDEN

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act concerning the contract bidding process for public
  2    improvement projects conducted by the state board of
  3    regents.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
    TLSB 2051YH (2) 87
    tr/rj

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 262.34, subsection 1, Code 2017, is
  1  2 amended to read as follows:
  1  3    1.  a.  When the estimated cost of construction, repairs, or
  1  4 improvement of buildings or grounds under charge of the state
  1  5 board of regents exceeds one hundred thousand dollars, the
  1  6 board shall advertise do all of the following:
  1  7    (1)  Advertise for bids for the contemplated improvement or
  1  8 construction and shall let by publishing a notice to bidders.
  1  9 The notice to bidders shall be published at least once, not
  1 10 less than four days and not more than forty=five days before
  1 11 the date for filing bids, in a newspaper published at least
  1 12 once weekly and having general circulation in the geographic
  1 13 area of contemplated improvement or construction.  The board
  1 14 may also publish a notice in a relevant contractor organization
  1 15 publication or relevant contractor plan room service with
  1 16 statewide circulation if a notice is posted on an internet site
  1 17 sponsored by the board.
  1 18    (2)  Have an engineer licensed under chapter 542B, a
  1 19 landscape architect licensed under chapter 544B, or an
  1 20 architect registered under chapter 544A prepare plans and
  1 21 specifications and calculate the estimated total cost of
  1 22 the contemplated improvement or construction. The board
  1 23 shall ensure that a sufficient number of printed copies of
  1 24 the project's contract documents, including but not limited
  1 25 to all drawings, plans, specifications, and estimated total
  1 26 costs of the proposed improvement or construction, are made
  1 27 available for distribution at no charge to prospective bidders,
  1 28 subcontractor bidders, suppliers, and contractor plan room
  1 29 services.
  1 30    (3)  Let the work to the lowest responsible bidder. However,
  1 31 if
  1 32    b.  If, in the judgment of the board, bids received are
  1 33 not acceptable, the board may reject all bids, after making a
  1 34 specific finding identifying the basis for the rejection of
  1 35 each bid received, and proceed with the construction, repair,
  2  1 or improvement by a method as the board may determine. All
  2  2 plans and specifications for repairs or construction, together
  2  3 with bids on the plans or specifications, shall be filed by the
  2  4 board and be open for public inspection. All bids submitted
  2  5 under this section shall be accompanied by a deposit of money,
  2  6 a certified check, or a credit union certified share draft in
  2  7 an amount as the board may prescribe.
  2  8                           EXPLANATION
  2  9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  2 10 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  2 11    This bill modifies the contract bidding process conducted
  2 12 by the state board of regents.
  2 13    Currently, when the estimated cost of construction, repairs,
  2 14 or improvement of buildings or grounds under charge of the
  2 15 state board of regents exceeds $100,000, the board of regents
  2 16 must advertise for bids for the contemplated work and shall
  2 17 let the work to the lowest responsible bidder. However, if
  2 18 in the judgment of the state board of regents bids received
  2 19 are not acceptable, the state board of regents may reject all
  2 20 bids and proceed with the work by a method as the state board
  2 21 of regents may determine. All plans and specifications for
  2 22 repairs or construction, together with bids on the plans or
  2 23 specifications, must be filed by the state board of regents
  2 24 and be open for public inspection. All bids submitted under
  2 25 this Code section must be accompanied by a deposit of money, a
  2 26 certified check, or a credit union certified share draft in an
  2 27 amount as the state board of regents may prescribe.
  2 28    Under the bill, when the estimated cost of the work exceeds
  2 29 $100,000, the state board of regents must advertise for bids
  2 30 by publishing notice at least once, not less than four and
  2 31 not more than 45 days before the date for filing bids, in a
  2 32 newspaper published at least weekly with a general circulation
  2 33 in the geographical area of the work. The state board of
  2 34 regents may also publish notice in a relevant contractor
  2 35 organization publication or relevant contractor plan room
  3  1 service with statewide circulation, provided that a notice is
  3  2 posted on an internet site sponsored by the state board of
  3  3 regents.
  3  4    The state board of regents must also have a licensed or
  3  5 registered engineer, landscape architect, or architect prepare
  3  6 plans and specifications and calculate the estimated total
  3  7 cost of the contemplated improvement or construction. The
  3  8 state board of regents must ensure that a sufficient number of
  3  9 printed copies of the project's contract documents are made
  3 10 available for distribution at no charge to prospective bidders,
  3 11 subcontractor bidders, suppliers, and contractor plan room
  3 12 services.
  3 13    If the state board of regents determines that none of the
  3 14 bids are acceptable, the board, under the bill, must identify a
  3 15 specific reason for rejecting each bid received and may proceed
  3 16 with the work by a method as the board may determine, as the law
  3 17 currently prescribes.
       LSB 2051YH (2) 87
       tr/rj