Bill Text: IA HF2301 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act concerning the contract bidding process for public improvement projects conducted by the state board of regents. (Formerly HSB 513.)

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-15 - Referred to Local Government. H.J. 594. [HF2301 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2017-HF2301-Introduced.html

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House File 2301 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  COMMITTEE ON LOCAL
                                     GOVERNMENT

                                 (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 513)

                                      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 5196HV (1) 87
    js/rj

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 262.34, subsection 1, Code 2018, 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 thirteen days and not more than forty=five days
  1 11 before the date for filing bids, in a newspaper published
  1 12 at least once weekly and having general circulation in the
  1 13 geographic area of contemplated improvement or construction.
  1 14 The board may also publish a notice in a relevant contractor
  1 15 organization publication or relevant contractor plan room
  1 16 service with statewide circulation if a notice is posted on an
  1 17 internet site 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 and
  2 24 be open for public inspection. All bids must be accompanied
  2 25 by a deposit of money, a certified check, or a credit union
  2 26 certified share draft in an amount as the state board of
  2 27 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 by
  2 30 publishing notice at least once, not less than 13 and not more
  2 31 than 45 days before the date for filing bids, in a newspaper
  2 32 published at least weekly with a general circulation in the
  2 33 geographical area of the work. The state board of regents
  2 34 may also publish notice in a relevant contractor organization
  2 35 publication or relevant contractor plan room service with
  3  1 statewide circulation, provided that a notice is posted on an
  3  2 internet site sponsored by the state board of regents.
  3  3    The state board of regents must also have a licensed or
  3  4 registered engineer, landscape architect, or architect prepare
  3  5 plans and specifications and calculate the estimated total
  3  6 cost of the contemplated improvement or construction. The
  3  7 state board of regents must ensure that a sufficient number of
  3  8 printed copies of the project's contract documents are made
  3  9 available for distribution at no charge to prospective bidders,
  3 10 subcontractor bidders, suppliers, and contractor plan room
  3 11 services.
  3 12    If the state board of regents determines that none of the
  3 13 bids are acceptable, the board, under the bill, must identify a
  3 14 specific reason for rejecting each bid received and may proceed
  3 15 with the work by a method as the board may determine, as the law
  3 16 currently prescribes.
       LSB 5196HV (1) 87
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