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title-39•Title 39 — Public Works
(a) Any person entering into a contract with an awarding authority in this state for the prosecution of any public works, before commencing the work, shall execute a performance bond, with penalty equal to 100 percent of the amount of the contract price. In addition, another bond, payable to the awarding authority letting the contract, shall be executed in an amount not less than 50 percent of the contract price, with the obligation that the contractor or contractors shall promptly make payments to all persons supplying labor, materials, or supplies for or in the prosecution of the work provided in the contract and for the payment of reasonable attorney fees incurred by successful claimants or plaintiffs in civil actions on the bond.
(b) Any person that has furnished labor, materials, or supplies for or in the prosecution of a public work and payment has not been made may institute a civil action upon the payment bond and have their rights and claims adjudicated in a civil action and judgment entered thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a civil action shall not be instituted on the bond until 45 days after written notice to the surety of the amount claimed to be due and the nature of the claim. The civil action shall be commenced not later than one year from the date of final settlement of the contract. The giving of notice by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the surety at any of its places of business or offices shall be deemed sufficient under this section. In the event the surety or contractor fails to pay the claim in full within 45 days from the mailing of the notice, then the person or persons may recover from the contractor and surety, in addition to the amount of the claim, a reasonable attorney fee based on the result, together with interest on the claim from the date of the notice.
(c) Every person having a right of action on the last described bond as provided in this section, upon written application to the authority under the direction of whom the work has been prosecuted, indicating that labor, material, foodstuffs, or supplies for the work have been supplied and that payment has not been made, shall be promptly furnished a certified copy of the additional bond and contract. The claimant may bring a civil action in the claimant’s name on the bond against the contractor and the surety, or either of them, in the county in which the work is to be or has been performed or in any other county where venue is otherwise allowed by law.
(d) In the event a civil action is instituted on the payment bond, at any time more than 15 days before the trial begins, any party may serve upon the adverse party an offer to accept judgment in favor of the offeror or to allow judgment to be entered in favor of the offeree for the money or as otherwise specified in the offer. If within 10 days after the service of the offer, the adverse party serves written notice that the offer is accepted, either party may then file the offer and notice of acceptance together with proof of service and the clerk of the court shall enter judgment. An offer not accepted shall be deemed withdrawn and evidence of the offer shall not be admissible. If the judgment finally obtained by the offeree is less favorable than the offer, the offeree shall pay the reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred by the offeror after the making of the offer. An offer that is made but not accepted does not preclude a subsequent offer. When the liability of one party to another party has been determined by verdict, order, or judgment, but the amount or extent of the liability remains to be determined by further proceedings, any party may make an offer of judgment, which shall have the same effect as an offer made before trial if the offer is made no less than 10 days prior to the commencement of hearings to determine the amount or extent of liability.
(e) This section shall not require the taking of a bond to secure contracts in an amount less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
(f)(1) The contractor, immediately after the completion of the contract, shall give notice of the completion by publishing the notice for a minimum of three weeks using one or more of the following methods:
a. In a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which the work, or some portion thereof, has been done.
b. On a website that is maintained by a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which the work, or some portion thereof, has been done.
c. On a website used by the awarding authority for publishing notices.
(2) If no newspaper is published in the county in which the work was done, and if the awarding authority does not utilize a website for the purpose of publishing notices, the notice may be given by posting at the courthouse for 30 days, and proof of the posting of the notice shall be given by the awarding authority and the contractor.
(3) A final settlement shall not be made upon the contract until the expiration of 30 days after the completion of the notice. Proof of publication of the notice shall be made by the contractor to the authority by whom the contract was made by affidavit of the publisher or website owner and a printed copy of the notice published.
(4) For contracts for road resurfacing materials that are awarded on an annual basis, where the bid specifications include options such as a unit price for materials, a unit price for the delivery of materials, or a unit price for materials to be laid in place by the bidder, notice of completion pursuant to this subsection may be given on an annual basis upon completion of the project as a whole, rather than at the completion of each proceed order.
(g) Subsection (f) shall not apply to contractors performing contracts of less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in amount.
(Acts 1927, No. 39, p. 37; Acts 1935, No. 39, p. 70; Code 1940, T. 50, §16; Acts 1983, No. 83-737, p. 1203; Acts 1989, No. 89-650, p. 1284, §1; Acts 1994, No. 94-207, p. 270, §1; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1; Act 2023-497, §1.)
All persons, to be eligible to bid on asphalt plant mix to be sold to the State of Alabama, shall have the asphalt plants inspected and certified by the Department of Transportation. The certification shall be made by the Bureau of Materials and Tests and shall include a statement that the plant meets the requirements set forth in the current edition of the State of Alabama Department of Transportation standard specifications for highways and bridges.
(Acts 1977, No. 778, p. 1338; Acts 1997, 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
Any contractor performing a public works contract in which any state, county, or municipal funds are utilized shall be allowed reimbursement for any additional severance, sales, or use taxes incurred by the contractor as a result of an increase in the rate of severance, sales, or use taxes imposed during the time of performance of the contract. Time of performance shall be the time the contractor submits the bid until completion of the contract.
(Acts 1993, No. 93-422, p. 708, §1; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) No officer or employee of an awarding authority and no person acting or purporting to act on behalf of such officer or employee of an awarding authority, except a public agency or authority created pursuant to agreement or compact with another state, shall, with respect to any public works contract, require the bidder to obtain or procure any surety bond or contract of insurance specified in connection with such contract or specified by any law, ordinance, or regulation from a particular surety company, insurance company, bonding company, agent, or broker. No officer, employee, person, firm, or corporation acting or purporting to act on behalf of any officer or employee of an awarding authority shall negotiate, make application, obtain, or procure any surety bond or contract of insurance, except contracts of insurance for builder’s risk or owner’s protective liability, which shall be obtained or procured by the bidder, contractor, or subcontractor, with the following exceptions:
(1) Contracts of insurance for builder’s risk, all risk, or owner’s protective liability;
(2) Contracts of insurance of any kind for any public works project involving an amount in excess of forty million dollars ($40,000,000);
(3) Contracts of insurance of any kind obtained or procured by a single awarding authority for a group of public works projects involving an aggregate amount in excess of ninety million dollars ($90,000,000) which are financed substantially by bond issues by the awarding authority or part of a programmatically related group of public works projects, and meeting all of the following criteria:
a. All projects are located within the same county;
b. All projects are located within 10 miles of each other;
c. All projects are part of the same duly authorized annual capital development plan of the authority.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) shall not prevent an officer or employee on behalf of an awarding authority from exercising the right to approve the form, sufficiency, or manner of execution of the surety bonds or contracts of insurance furnished by the surety company, insurance company, or bonding company selected by the bidder to underwrite surety bonds or contracts of insurance. The insurance company, bonding company, or surety company shall meet all requirements for such companies otherwise provided for by law.
(c) All provisions in any invitation for bids or in any of the contract documents in conflict with this section are declared to be void and unenforceable as contrary to the public policy of this state.
(Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §2; Act 99-386, p. 613, §1.)
Notwithstanding any other laws to the contrary, this title shall control all public works contracts on the state, county, and municipal levels of government in the State of Alabama.
(Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §3; Act 2018-413, §1.)
As used in this title, the following words have the meanings ascribed to them as follows:
(1) AWARDING AUTHORITY. Any governmental board, commission, agency, body, authority, instrumentality, department, or subdivision of the state, its counties and municipalities. This term includes, but shall not be limited to, the Department of Transportation, the Division of Real Property Management of the Department of Finance, the State Board of Education, and any other entity contracting for public works. This term shall exclude the State Docks Department and any entity exempted from the competitive bid laws of the state by statute.
(2) FORCE ACCOUNT WORK. Work paid for by reimbursing for the actual costs for labor, materials, and equipment usage incurred in the performance of the work, as directed, including a percentage for overhead and profit, where appropriate.
(3) LIFE CYCLE COSTS. The total cost of ownership over the extended life of a public works project, taking into consideration the costs of construction, operation, and maintenance, less any value obtained from salvage and quantifiable environmental benefits, or the sum of all recurring and one-time (non-recurring) costs over the full life span or a specified period of a good, service, structure, or system, including purchase price, installation costs, operating costs, maintenance and upgrade costs, and remaining (residual or salvage) value at the end of ownership or its useful life.
(4) PERSON. Natural persons, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and other legal entities.
(5) PUBLIC PROPERTY. Real property that the state, county, municipality, or awarding authority thereof owns or has a contractual right to own or purchase, including easements, rights-of-way, or otherwise.
(6) PUBLIC WORKS. The construction, installation, repair, renovation, or maintenance of public buildings, structures, sewers, waterworks, roads, curbs, gutters, side walls, bridges, docks, underpasses, and viaducts as well as any other improvement to be constructed, installed, repaired, renovated, or maintained on public property and to be paid, in whole or in part, with public funds or with financing to be retired with public funds in the form of lease payments or otherwise.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §13; Acts 1961, No. 715, p. 1013; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1; Act 2011-530, p. 869, §1; Act 2023-497, §1.)
(a)(1) Before entering into any contract for a public works involving an amount in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the awarding authority shall advertise for sealed bids, except as provided in subsection (k).
(2)a. If the awarding authority is the state, a county, or an instrumentality thereof, it shall advertise for sealed bids at least once each week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or counties in which the improvement, or some part thereof, is to be made.
b.1. If the awarding authority is a municipality, or an instrumentality thereof, it shall advertise for sealed bids at least once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the municipality where the awarding authority is located.
(3) The advertisements shall briefly describe the improvement, state that plans and specifications for the improvement are on file for examination in a designated office of the awarding authority, state the procedure for obtaining plans and specifications, state the time and place in which bids shall be received and opened, and identify whether prequalification is required and where all written prequalification information is available for review.
(4) All bids shall be opened publicly at the advertised time and place.
(5) No public work involving a sum in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) shall be split into parts involving sums of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or less for the purpose of evading the requirements of this section.
(b)(1) An awarding authority may let contracts for public works involving one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or less with or without advertising for sealed bids.
(2) Notwithstanding the advertising requirements of subdivision (a)(2), an awarding authority may enter into a contract for public works if: (i) the awarding authority submitted the advertisement for sealed bids for the contract in accordance with subdivision (a)(2); and (ii) the advertisement was published for at least three weeks, or if the awarding authority is a municipality or instrumentality thereof for at least seven consecutive calendar days, on a centralized website maintained by the Department of Finance as further described in subsection (c).
(3) If the awarding authority under subdivision (2) is the Department of Transportation, the Department of Transportation may alternatively satisfy the requirements of subdivision (2)(ii) by publishing the advertisement on its publicly accessible website for at least three weeks.
(4) If the awarding authority under subdivision (2) is a county or instrumentality thereof, the county or instrumentality may alternatively satisfy the requirements of subdivision (2)(ii) by publishing the advertisement in accordance with the procedures submitted by the Association of County Engineers of Alabama and approved by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts as authorized by general law.
(c) The Department of Finance shall establish and maintain a centralized website or digital platform to provide publicly accessible notice of advertisements for sealed bids pursuant to this section. The department may further provide for the administration and operations related thereto by the adoption of administrative rules, including, but not limited to, the assessment of fees to awarding authorities for the posting of advertisements to cover the implementation and maintenance cost of the website or digital platform.
(d) All contracts for public works entered into in violation of this title shall be void and violative of public policy. Anyone who willfully violates this chapter concerning public works shall be guilty of a Class C felony.
(e)(1) Excluded from the operation of this title shall be contracts with persons who shall perform only architectural, engineering, construction management, program management, or project management services in support of the public works and who shall not engage in actual construction, repair, renovation, or maintenance of the public works with their own forces, by contract, subcontract, purchase order, lease, or otherwise.
(2)a. Excluded from operation of the bidding requirements in this title are contracts for the purchase of any heating or air conditioning units or systems by any awarding authority subject to Chapter 13B of Title 16, Article 3, commencing with Section 41-16-50 of Chapter 16 of Title 41, or Article 5, commencing with Section 41-4-110 of Chapter 4 of Title 41, provided the contract is entered into with an Alabama vendor who has been granted approved vendor status for the sale of heating or air conditioning units or systems as a part of a purchasing cooperative, and each of the following occur:
The heating or air conditioning unit or system being purchased is available as a result of a competitive bid process conducted by a governmental entity which has been approved by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.
The purchase of the heating or air conditioning unit or system is not available on the state purchasing program at the time or the purchase under the purchasing cooperative is available at a price that is equal to or less than that available through the state purchasing program.
The entity entering into the contract for the purchase of the heating or air conditioning unit or system has been notified by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts that the competitive bid process utilized by the cooperative program offering the goods complies with this subdivision.
Upon request, the vendor has provided the purchasing entity with a report of sales made under this subdivision during the previous 12-month period, to include a general description of the heating or air conditioning units and systems sold, the number of units sold per entity, and the purchase price of the units.
b. The exemption from the requirement to use sealed bids for the purchase of heating or air conditioning units or systems authorized by this section shall not serve to exempt any public works project from the remaining provisions of this chapter, including, but not limited to, design, installation, and review requirements, compliance with all applicable codes, laws, specifications, and standards, and the compensation of engineers, architects, or others as mandated by state law or rule.
(3)a. Excluded from the operation of this title are contracts for the purchase, design, and installation of playground equipment. Such contracts shall be procured as otherwise required for the procurement of goods and services, including, but not limited to, Chapter 13B of Title 16; Article 3 of Chapter 16 of Title 41; and Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 41.
b. For purposes of this subdivision, “playground equipment” means any structure or apparatus intended for children’s recreational use and play in a public area, including a public park, public school, or other public property. The term includes slides, swings, climbing equipment, seesaws, and splash pads. The term also includes purchases ancillary to the use of a playground, including safety surfacing, fencing, signage, and shade structures.
(f)(1) In case of an emergency for which a delay in remedying would cause immediate harm to a person or public property, contracts may be let to the extent necessary to meet the emergency without public advertisement or bidding.
(2) In case of an emergency affecting public health, safety, or convenience, as declared in writing by the awarding authority, setting forth the nature of the danger to the public health, safety, or convenience which would result from delay, contracts may be let to the extent necessary to meet the emergency without public advertisement.
(3) Any action taken under subdivision (1) or (2), and the reasons for the action taken, shall immediately be made public by the awarding authority and published in writing.
(g) No awarding authority may specify in the plans and specifications for the improvement the use of materials, products, systems, or services by a sole source unless all of the following requirements are met:
(1) Except for contracts involving the construction, reconstruction, renovation, or replacement of public roads, bridges, and water and sewer facilities, the awarding authority can document to the satisfaction of the Division of Real Property Management of the Department of Finance, or in the case of an educational institution or state educational institution as provided pursuant to Sections 41-4-353 and 41-4-400, to the satisfaction of its governing board, that the sole source product, material, system, or service is of an indispensable nature for the improvement, that there are no other viable alternatives, and that only this particular product, material, system, or service fulfills the function for which it is needed.
(2) The sole source specification has been recommended by the architect or engineer of record as an indispensable item for which there is no other viable alternative.
(3) All information substantiating the use of a sole source specification, including the recommendation of the architect or engineer of record, shall be documented and made available for examination in the office of the awarding authority at the time of advertisement for sealed bids.
(h) If a proposed public works project is acknowledged in writing by the Alabama Homeland Security Department as: (i) having a direct impact on the security or safety of persons or facilities; and (ii) requiring confidential handling for the protection of such persons or facilities, contracts may be let without public advertisement but with the taking of informal bids otherwise consistent with the requirements of this title and the requirements of maintaining confidentiality. Records of bidding and award shall not be disclosed to the public and shall remain confidential.
(i) If a pre-bid meeting is held, the pre-bid meeting shall be held at least seven days prior to the bid opening except when the project has been declared an emergency in accordance with subsection (f).
(j) The awarding authority may not offer a contract for bidding unless confirmation of any applicable grant has been received and any required matching funds have been secured by or are available to the awarding authority.
(k) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Department of Transportation may enter into contracts for road construction or road maintenance projects that do not involve more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) without advertising for sealed bids, provided the project is listed on the publicly accessible website of the department for at least seven calendar days before entering into the contract. The total cost of all projects not subject to advertising and sealed bids pursuant to this subsection may not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000) in the aggregate per year.
(l) For the purposes of this chapter, sealed bids may also be solicited and submitted through electronic means including, but not limited to, electrical, digital, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, or any other similar technology, provided that the awarding authority adopts rules and policies to ensure that all electronic submissions are transmitted securely and bids remain sealed until bid opening.
(m)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any entity subject to this chapter which is an awarding authority of a contract for public works, by resolution or board action, may purchase materials or equipment pursuant to Section 41-16-51(a)(14), (16), (17), (18), or (19), even when those materials or equipment are otherwise part of the contract for public works subject to the requirements of this title.
(2) Except for those materials or equipment described in subdivision (1), the remaining portion of the public works project shall be subject to the requirements of this title, even if the remaining portion would involve an amount less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) as a result of the exclusion of the purchase of the materials or equipment as described in subdivision (1).
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §1; Acts 1961, No. 715, p. 1013; Acts 1980, No. 80-726, p. 1468; Acts 1989, No. 89-665, p. 1319, §1; Acts 1994, No. 94-207, p. 270, §1; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1; Act 2004-487, p. 906, §1; Act 2014-373, p. 1333, §1; Act 2014-404, p. 1485, §1; Act 2018-199, §1; Act 2018-413, §1; Act 2021-282, §1; Act 2023-497, §1; Act 2025-383, §1; Act 2026-254, §1; Act 2026-580, §1(b).)
(a) For contracts let by the Department of Transportation, proposals may be obtained only upon payment of a fee, to be determined by the Department of Transportation, not in excess of five dollars ($5). Plans and specifications may be obtained only upon payment of a fee, to be determined by the Department of Transportation, not to exceed the actual cost of printing such plans and specifications.
(b) For all other awarding authorities, an adequate number of sets of bid documents, as determined by the awarding authority, may be obtained by prime contractor bidders upon payment of a deposit for each set, which deposit shall not exceed twice the cost of printing, reproduction, handling, and distribution of each set. The deposit shall be refunded in full to each prime contractor bidder upon return of the documents in reusable condition within 10 days after bid opening. Additional sets for prime contractor bidders, subcontractors, vendors, or dealers may be obtained upon payment of the same deposit. The deposit shall be refunded less the cost of printing, reproduction, handling, and distribution, upon return of the documents in reusable condition within 10 days after bid opening. All refunds are due from the awarding authority within 20 days after bid opening.
(c) Building exchanges and similar agencies may be furnished plans and specifications without charge.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §2; Acts 1956, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 52, p. 82; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) The bidder shall be required to file with his or her bid either a cashier’s check drawn on an Alabama bank or a bid bond executed by a surety company duly authorized and qualified to make such bonds in the State of Alabama, payable to the awarding authority for an amount not less than five percent of the awarding authority’s estimated cost or of the contractor’s bid, but in no event more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), except if the awarding authority is the Department of Transportation, then the bid guarantee shall not be more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). The bid guaranties as provided in this section shall constitute all of the qualifications or guaranty to be required of contractors as prerequisites to bidding for public works, except as required by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors and the prequalification as required by the Department of Transportation, the Building Commission, or any other awarding authority.
(b) With the exception of the Department of Transportation which has prequalification procedures and criteria set forth by statute, any awarding authority that proposes to prequalify bidders shall establish written prequalification procedures and criteria that: (1) are published sufficiently in advance of any affected contract so that a bona fide bidder may seek and obtain prequalification prior to preparing a bid for that contract, such publication to be accomplished by the methods specified in subsection (a) of Section 39-2-2; (2) are related to the purpose of the contract or contracts affected; (3) are related to contract requirements or the quality of the product or service in question; (4) are related to the responsibility, including the competency, experience, and financial ability, of a bidder; and (5) will permit reasonable competition at a level that serves the public interest. The prequalification publication may run concurrently with the publication required under subsection (a) of Section 39-2-2, provided it produces the above required advance notice.
(c) Within the bounds of good faith, the awarding authority retains the right to determine whether a contractor has met prequalification procedures and criteria.
(d) Any bidder who has prequalified pursuant to the requirements in subsection (b) shall be deemed responsible for purposes of award unless the prequalification is revoked by the awarding authority under the following procedures: (1) No later than five working days or the next regular meeting after the opening of bids, the awarding authority issues written notice to the bidder of its intent to revoke prequalification and the grounds therefor; (2) the bidder is then provided an opportunity to be heard before the awarding authority on the intended revocation; (3) the awarding authority makes a good faith showing of a material inaccuracy in the prequalification application of a bidder or of a material change in the responsibility of the bidder since submitting its prequalification application; and (4) the revocation of prequalification is determined no later than 10 days after written notice of intent to revoke, unless the bidder whose qualification is in question agrees in writing to an extension in time.
(e) Nothing in this section shall preclude the rejection of a bidder determined not responsible nor the inclusion of criteria in the bid documents which would limit contract awards to responsible bidders where no prequalification procedure is employed by the awarding authority.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §3; Acts 1949, No. 577, p. 907; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1; Act 2016-260, §1; Act 2017-279, §1.)
All bid guaranties, except those of the three lowest bona fide bidders, shall be returned immediately after bids have been checked, tabulated, and the relation of the bids established. The bid guaranties of the three lowest bidders shall be returned as soon as the contract bonds and the contract of the successful bidder have been properly executed and approved. When the award is deferred for a period of time longer than 15 days after the opening of the bids, all bid guaranties, except those of the potentially successful bidders, shall be returned. If no award is made within 30 days after the opening of the bids, or such other time as specified in the bid documents, all bids shall be rejected and all guaranties returned, except for any potentially successful bidder that agrees in writing to a stipulated extension in time for consideration of its bid, in which case the awarding authority may permit the potentially successful bidder to substitute a satisfactory bidder’s bond for the cashier’s check submitted with its bid as a bid guaranty.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §4; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) The contract shall be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, unless the awarding authority finds that all the bids are unreasonable or that it is not in the interest of the awarding authority to accept any of the bids. A responsible bidder is one who, among other qualities determined necessary for performance, is competent, experienced, and financially able to perform the contract. A responsive bidder is one who submits a bid that complies with the terms and conditions of the invitation for bids. Minor irregularities in the bid shall not defeat responsiveness. The bidder to whom the award is made shall be notified by confirmed facsimile, electronic mail, or letter at the earliest possible date. If the successful bidder fails or refuses to sign the contract, to make bond as provided in this chapter, or to provide evidence of insurance as required by the bid documents, the awarding authority may award the contract to the second lowest responsible and responsive bidder. If the second lowest bidder fails or refuses to sign the contract, make bond as provided in this chapter, or to provide evidence of insurance as required by the bid documents, the awarding authority may award the contract to the third lowest responsible and responsive bidder.
(b) If no bids or only one bid is received at the time stated in the advertisement for bids, the awarding authority may advertise for and seek other competitive bids, or the awarding authority may direct that the work shall be done by force account under its direction and control or, with the exception of the Department of Transportation, the awarding authority may negotiate for the work through the receipt of informal bids not subject to the requirements of this section. Where only one responsible and responsive bid has been received, any negotiation for the work shall be for a price lower than that bid.
(c) With the exception of the Department of Transportation, when two or more bids are received, and all bids exceed available funding for the contract, the awarding authority may negotiate for the work with the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, provided that the awarding authority can document the shortage of funding, that time is of the essence, and that the negotiated changes are in the public interest and do not materially alter the scope and nature of the project.
(d) If the awarding authority finds that all bids received are unreasonable or that it is not to the interest of the awarding authority to accept any of the bids, the awarding authority may direct that the work shall be done by force account under its direction and control.
(e) On any construction project on which the awarding authority has prepared plans and specifications, has received bids, and has determined to do by force account or by negotiation, the awarding authority shall make available the plans and specifications, an itemized estimate of cost, and any informal bids for review by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and, upon completion of the project by an awarding authority, the final total costs together with an itemized list of cost of any and all changes made in the original plans and specifications shall also be made available for review by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. Furthermore, the above described information shall be made public by the awarding authority upon request. Upon the approval of the awarding authority, its duly authorized officer or officers, when proceeding upon the basis of force account, may let any subdivision or unit of work by contract on informal bids.
(f) No provision of this section shall be interpreted as precluding the use of convict labor by the awarding authority. This section shall not apply to routine maintenance and repair jobs done by maintenance personnel who are regular employees of the awarding authority, nor shall it apply to road or bridge construction work performed by an awarding authority’s regular employees and own equipment.
(g) No contract awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder shall be assignable by the successful bidder without written consent of the awarding authority, and in no event shall a contract be assigned to an unsuccessful bidder whose bid was rejected because he or she was not a responsible or responsive bidder.
(h) Any agreement or collusion among bidders or prospective bidders in restraint of freedom of competition to bid at a fixed price or to refrain from bidding or otherwise shall render the bids void and shall cause the bidders or prospective bidders to be disqualified from submitting further bids to the awarding authority on future lettings. Any bidder or prospective bidder who willfully participates in any agreement or collusion in restraint of freedom of competition shall be guilty of a felony and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) nor more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or, at the discretion of the jury, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than three years.
(i) Any disclosure in advance of the terms of a bid submitted in response to an advertisement for bids shall render the proceedings void and require advertisement and award anew.
(j) The lowest responsible and responsive bidder on a public works project may be determined to be the bidder offering the lowest life cycle costs. The lowest responsible and responsive bidder shall otherwise meet all of the conditions and specifications contained in the invitation to bid, except that a bidder may still be considered responsive if he or she responds with a bid using different construction materials than those specified in the invitation to bid if the materials’ use would result in lower life cycle costs for the public works project. To utilize this provision to determine the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, the awarding authority must include a notice in the invitation to bid that the lowest responsible and responsive bidder may be determined by using life cycle costs, and must also include in the invitation to bid the criteria under which it shall evaluate the life cycle costs.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §5; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1; Act 2011-530, p. 869, §1; Act 2021-439, §1; Act 2023-497, §1.)
In case of error in the extension of prices in bids, the unit price will govern. In case of discrepancy between the prices shown in the figures and in words, the words will govern.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §6.)
The bidder to whom the award is made shall, when required, enter into a written contract on the form included in the proposal, plans, and specifications, furnish a performance bond and payment bond executed by a surety company duly authorized and qualified to make such bonds in the State of Alabama in the amount required by subsection (a) of Section 39-1-1 and provide evidence of insurance as required by the bid documents within the period specified or, if no period is specified, within 15 days after the prescribed forms have been presented to him or her for signature. If extenuating circumstances prevail, the awarding authority may grant an extension in time not exceeding five days for the return of the contract, required bonds and required evidence of insurance.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §7; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
The awarding authority shall approve the contractor’s bonds meeting the requirements of Section 39-2-8 and the contractor’s evidence of insurance meeting the requirements of the bid documents, as well as complete the execution of the contract, within 20 days after their presentation by the contractor unless the successful contractor agrees in writing to a longer period.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §8; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
A proceed order shall be issued by the awarding authority within 15 days after final execution of the contract by the awarding authority, and execution by the Governor if his or her signature on the contract is required by law, unless both parties agree in writing to a stipulated extension in time for the issuance of a proceed order.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §9; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) Should the successful bidder or bidders to whom a contract is awarded fail to execute a contract and furnish acceptable contract securities and evidence of insurance as required by law within the period as set forth in Section 39-2-8, the awarding authority shall retain from the proposal guaranty, if it is a cashier’s check, or recover from the principal or the sureties, if the guaranty is a bid bond, the difference between the amount of the contract as awarded and the amount of the proposal of the next lowest bidder. If no other bids are received, the full amount of the proposal guaranty shall be so retained or recovered as liquidated damages for such default. Any sums so retained or recovered shall be the property of the awarding authority.
(b) In the event of the death of a low bidder between the date of the opening of bids and the 15 days following the date of award of contract as allowed in Section 39-2-8 for furnishing of contract securities and evidence of insurance, the awarding authority shall return the proposal guaranty intact to the estate of the deceased low bidder.
(c) Failure by the awarding authority to complete the execution of a contract and to issue a proceed order as required in Sections 39-2-9 and 39-2-10 shall be just cause, unless both parties agree in writing to a stipulated extension in time for issuance of a proceed order, for the withdrawal of the contractor’s bid and contract without forfeiture of the certified check or bond.
(d) Except for contracts let by the Department of Transportation, if the low bidder discovers a mistake in its bid rendering a price substantially out of proportion to that of other bidders, the low bidder may seek withdrawal of its bid without forfeiture upon written notice to the awarding authority within three working days after the opening of bids whether or not award has been made. If the low bidder offers clear and convincing documentary evidence as soon as possible, but no later than three working days after the opening of bids, that it made such a mistake due to calculation or clerical error, an inadvertent omission, or a typographical error, the awarding authority shall permit withdrawal without forfeiture. The decision of the awarding authority shall be made within 10 days after receipt of the low bidder’s evidence or by the next regular meeting of the awarding authority. In no event shall a mistake of law, judgment, or opinion constitute a valid ground for the withdrawal of a bid without forfeiture. Upon withdrawal of bid without forfeiture, the low bidder shall be prohibited from (1) doing any work on the contract, either as a subcontractor or in any other capacity, and (2) bidding on the same project if it is readvertised for letting.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §10; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) As used in this section the following words shall have the meanings ascribed to them as follows:
(1) CONTRACTOR. Any natural person, partnership, company, firm, corporation, association, limited liability company, cooperative, or other legal entity licensed by the Alabama State Licensing Board for General Contractors.
(2) NONRESIDENT CONTRACTOR. A contractor which is neither a. organized and existing under the laws of the State of Alabama, nor b. maintains its principal place of business in the State of Alabama. A nonresident contractor which has maintained a permanent branch office within the State of Alabama for at least five continuous years shall not thereafter be deemed to be a nonresident contractor so long as the contractor continues to maintain a branch office within Alabama.
(3) RETAINAGE. That money belonging to the contractor which has been retained by the awarding authority conditioned on final completion and acceptance of all work in connection with a project or projects by the contractor.
(b)(1) Unless otherwise provided in the specifications, partial payments shall be made as the work progresses at the end of each calendar month, but in no case later than 35 days after the acceptance by the awarding authority that the estimate and terms of the contract providing for partial payments have been fulfilled. The contract between the contractor and the awarding authority shall designate a person to review the progress of completed work and to review documents submitted by the contractor as provided in this section. Except as otherwise provided for the Department of Transportation, the designated person, within 10 days, shall review the submission and respond in writing to accept or forward, as provided in this subsection, a request for payment. For contracts involving the Department of Transportation, the time frame for review and response shall be 20 days. In the event of an error in the submission or a dispute regarding compliance with the provisions of the contract, the error or dispute shall be disclosed in writing to the contractor within 10 days and, after corrective actions are taken, the invoice may be resubmitted and shall be addressed as provided in this section; provided that for contracts involving the Department of Transportation, the time frame for review and response shall be 20 days. In the absence of error or dispute, the awarding authority shall proceed within 10 days as follows for payment of the invoice:
a. For contracts subject to subsection (l), the awarding authority shall forward the request for payment to the entity or agency that is the source of funding to be used by the contractor.
b. For contracts not subject to subsection (l), the payment shall be made by the contracting agency in accordance with the payment requirements and deadlines established in this section.
(2) In preparing estimates, the material delivered on the site, materials suitably stored and insured off-site, and preparatory work done may be taken into consideration. If the amount due by the awarding authority is not in dispute and the amount payable is not paid within the above 35-day period, the contractor to whom payment is due shall also be entitled to interest from the awarding authority at the rate assessed for underpayment of taxes under Section 40-1-44(a), on the unpaid balance due. Any agreement to increase the 35-day period for payment after the execution of the contract is not enforceable. Interest payments shall not be due on payments made after the 35-day period because of administrative or processing delays at the close of the fiscal year or delays resulting from official and announced closures by the awarding authority. The provisions in this subsection shall not apply to contracts administered by the Alabama Building Commission, regardless of the source of the funds to be utilized to fulfill the awarding authority’s obligation under the contract.
(c) In making the partial payments, there shall be retained not more than five percent of the estimated amount of work done and the value of materials stored on the site or suitably stored and insured off-site, and after 50 percent completion has been accomplished, no further retainage shall be withheld. The retainage as set out above shall be held until final completion and acceptance of all work covered by the contract unless the escrow or deposit arrangement described in subsections (f) and (g) is utilized. Provided, however, no retainage shall be withheld on contracts entered into by the Alabama Department of Transportation for the construction or maintenance of public highways, bridges, or roads.
(d) In addition to other requirements, a nonresident contractor shall satisfy the awarding authority that he or she has paid all taxes due and payable to the State of Alabama or any political subdivision thereof prior to receiving final payment for contract work. When maintenance periods are included in the contract covering highways and bridges or similar structures, the periods shall be considered a component part of the contract. On completion and acceptance of each separate building, public work, or other division of the contract on which a price is stated separately in the contract or can be separately ascertained, payment may be made in full, including the retained percentage thereof, less authorized deductions. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require the awarding authority to make full payment on an item of work when the item of work is an integral part of a complete improvement.
(e) In lieu of the retained amounts provided for in subsection (c) of this section, the awarding authority may provide in the specifications or contracts an alternate procedure for the maintenance of an escrow account as provided in subsection (f) or the depositing of security as provided in subsection (g).
(f) An escrow account, established pursuant to an escrow agreement, shall be entered into only on the following conditions:
(1) If the contractor shall have entered into more than one construction contract allowing for the maintenance of escrow accounts, the contractor may elect to combine the amounts held in lieu of retainage under each contract into one or more escrow accounts or may elect to establish a separate escrow account for each contract.
(2) Only state or national banks chartered within the State of Alabama or savings and loan associations domiciled in the State of Alabama may serve as an escrow agent.
(3) The escrow agent must limit the investment of funds held in escrow in lieu of retained amounts provided for in subsection (c) of this section to savings accounts, certificates of deposit or similar time deposit investments (which may, at the election of the contractor, be in an amount in excess of the maximum dollar amount of coverage by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corporation, or other similar agency), U.S. Treasury Bonds, U.S. Treasury Notes, U.S. Treasury Certificates of Indebtedness, U.S. Treasury Bills, bonds or notes of the State of Alabama or bonds of any political subdivision of the State of Alabama.
(4) As interest on all investments held in escrow becomes due, it shall be collected by the escrow agent and paid to the contractor.
(5) The escrow agent shall periodically acknowledge to the awarding authority and contractor the amount and value of the escrow account held by the escrow agent, and any additions to the escrow account by the awarding authority shall be reported immediately to the contractor. Withdrawals from the escrow account shall only be made subject to the written approval of the awarding authority.
(6) Upon default or overpayment, as determined by the awarding authority, of any contract or contracts subject to this procedure, and upon the written demand of the awarding authority, the escrow agent shall within 10 days deliver a cashier’s check to the awarding authority in the amount of the escrow account balance (subject to the redemption value of such investments at the time of disbursement) relating to the contract or contracts in default.
(7) The escrow account may be terminated upon completion and acceptance of the contract or contracts as provided in subsections (c) and (i) of this section.
(8) All fees and expenses of the escrow agent shall be paid by the contractor to the escrow agent and if not paid shall constitute a lien on the interest accruing to the escrow account and shall be paid therefrom.
(9) The escrow account shall constitute a specific pledge to the awarding authority, and the contractor shall not, except to his or her surety, otherwise assign, pledge, discount, sell, or transfer his or her interest in the escrow account, the funds in which shall not be subject to levy, garnishment, attachment, or any other process whatsoever.
(10) The form of the escrow agreement and provisions thereof in compliance herewith, as well as such other provisions as the awarding authority shall from time to time prescribe, shall be subject to written approval of the awarding authority. The approval of the escrow agreement by the awarding authority shall authorize the escrow agent to accept appointment in such capacity.
(11) The awarding authority shall not be liable to the contractor or his or her surety for the failure of the escrow agent to perform under the escrow agreement, or for the failure of any financial institution to honor investments issued by it which are held in the escrow account.
(g) The contractor may withdraw the whole or any part of the retainage upon deposit of securities only in accordance with the following procedures:
(1) The contractor shall deposit with the State Treasurer or the municipal or county official holding funds belonging to the contractor, the following readily negotiable security or any combination thereof in an amount at least equal to the amount withdrawn, the security shall be accepted at the time of deposit at market value but not in excess of par value:
a. U.S. Treasury Bonds, U.S. Treasury Notes, U.S. Treasury Certificates of Indebtedness, or U.S. Treasury Bills.
b. Bonds or notes of the State of Alabama.
c. Bonds of any political subdivision of the State of Alabama.
d. Certificates of deposit issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured banks located in the State of Alabama. The certificates shall be negotiable and only in an amount not in excess of the maximum dollar amount of coverage by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
e. Certificates of deposit issued by savings and loan associations located in the State of Alabama, the accounts of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the accounts of which are insured by a company approved by the state Savings and Loan Board and the certificates shall be made payable with accrued interest on demand. Any certificate from any of the savings and loan associations referred to in this paragraph shall not be for an amount in excess of the maximum dollar amount of coverage of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(2) The agency or department of the state having jurisdiction over any public works contract shall notify the State Treasurer of the amount of the deposit required and shall also notify the State Treasurer when to release the deposit.
(3) The architect or engineer representing any municipality or county or the chair of any board, commission, or agency of any municipality or county shall notify the municipal or county official of the amount of deposit required and shall also notify the municipal or county official when to release the deposit.
(4) At the time of deposit of any security, the security may be endorsed and shall be accompanied by a conditional assignment to the public body designated as owner in the contract document, which assignment shall empower the State Treasurer, or the municipal or county official to negotiate the security at any time to the extent necessary to cause the fulfilling of the contract.
(5) Any interest or income due on any security deposited shall be paid to the contractor. If the deposit is in the form of coupon bonds, the coupons, as they respectively become due, shall be delivered to the contractor.
(6) In the event the contractor defaults in the performance of the contract or any portion of the contract, the securities deposited by the contractor in lieu of retainage and all interest, income, and coupons accruing on the securities, after default, may be sold by the state or any agency or department of the state, any municipality or county, or any board, commission, or agency of the municipality or county and the proceeds of the sale shall be used as if the proceeds represented the retainage provided for under the contract.
(h) All material and work covered by partial payments made shall become the sole property of the awarding authority, but the contractor shall not be relieved from the sole responsibility for the care and protection of materials and work upon which payments have been made, and for the restoration of any damaged work.
(i)(1) Upon the contractor’s completion and the awarding authority’s acceptance of all work required, the awarding authority shall pay the amount due the contractor upon the contractor’s presentation of the following items:
a. A properly executed and duly certified voucher for payment.
b. A release, if required, of all claims and claims of lien against the awarding authority arising under and by virtue of the contract, other than such claims of the contractor, if any, as may be specifically excepted by the contractor from the operation of the release in stated amounts to be set forth therein.
c. Proof of advertisement as provided by law. Upon proof of advertisement, the prescribed terms of payment shall not be amended after the terms and specifications have been published.
(2) Such payment shall become due and owing 35 days after all the requirements of subdivision (1) are fulfilled, and any agreement to increase the 35-day period for payment after the execution of the contract is not enforceable. If the amount payable is not paid as required, interest on the amount shall be due and owing to the contractor. Interest shall accrue on the day following the later date described above and shall be paid from the same fund or source from which the contract principal is paid. The interest rate for payments shall be the legal amount currently assessed for under payment of taxes under Section 40-1-44 (a).
(3) Except as may be prohibited by Article I, Section 14 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, a contractor or awarding authority may file a civil action against the party contractually obligated for the payment or repayment claimed to recover the amount due plus the interest accrued in accordance with this chapter. In addition to the payment of any amounts due plus interest, if applicable, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, and reasonable expenses. This provision shall not apply to contracts administered by the Alabama Building Commission, regardless of the source of the funds to be utilized to fulfill the awarding authority’s obligation under the contract.
(j) If the Department of Transportation or a county awarding authority shall determine that there has been overpayment to a contractor on a contract award pursuant to this chapter, the Department of Transportation or the county awarding authority shall provide written notice of the overpayment to the contractor and the contractor shall remit the overpayment to the Department of Transportation or the county awarding authority within 60 days of receipt of the demand. If the contractor fails to remit payment in full of the overpayment within 60 days of receipt of demand, the contractor shall be disqualified from bidding as a prime contractor or from performing work as a subcontractor on any future Department of Transportation contract or county contract for the construction or maintenance of public highways, bridges, or roads until the overpayment is made. The Department of Transportation or county awarding authority shall also be entitled to interest from the contractor at the rate assessed for under payment of taxes under Section 40-1-44 (a) beginning on the 61st day after the contractor’s receipt of demand.
(k) The contract between the awarding authority and contractor shall contain provisions outlining the source of sufficient funds to be utilized to fulfill the awarding authority’s obligations under the contract, including whether the funds are held by the awarding authority at the time of the execution of the contract or whether the funds will become available at a date following the execution of the contract.
(l) Should the source of funds for the payment be a grant, award, or direct reimbursement from the state, federal government, or other source which will not become available until after the execution of the contract, this shall be disclosed in the bid document and contract and the provisions of this chapter regarding prompt payment shall not apply until the awarding authority is in receipt of the funds as provided in the contract. Upon such receipt, the contracting agency shall process payment within 10 days and the requirement shall be enforceable as provided herein.
(m) In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this section and the provisions of any other section of the Code of Alabama 1975, or any agency’s or department’s rules, regulations, or manuals, this section shall govern.
(n) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any state agency established pursuant to Chapter 1 of Title 33.
(o) The payment provisions of this section shall not apply to contracts entered into by governmental entities as a result of response and recovery to any of the conditions described in Section 31-9-2(a) or as a result of any other disaster event.
(p) The provisions set forth in this section shall apply to all payments, partial or otherwise.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §11; Acts 1975, No. 951, p. 1988, §1; Acts 1977, No. 508, p. 670; Acts 1978, No. 834, p. 1235; Acts 1980, No. 80-692, p. 1393; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1; Act 2000-691, p. 1404, §1; Act 2004-419, p. 702, §1; Act 2012-379, p. 997, §§1-3; Act 2014-404, p. 1485, §1.)
For the purpose of carrying into effect the terms of this chapter and insuring to the state and its political subdivisions the award of all contracts to responsible and responsive bidders, the awarding authority may prepare and promulgate rules and regulations it deems proper, but not inconsistent with the terms of this chapter.
(Acts 1947, No. 492, p. 338, §12; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) Every nonresident contractor, as defined in Section 39-2-12 shall register with the Department of Revenue prior to engaging in the performance of a contract in this state. At the time of registration the contractor shall deposit with the Department of Revenue five per centum of the amount such contractor is to receive for the performance of the contract which shall be held within a “contractors use tax fund” pending the completion of the contract, the determination of the taxes due this state and other governmental bodies, and the payment of same. In lieu of such deposit the contractor may provide a corporate surety bond to be approved by the Commissioner of Revenue as to form, sufficiency, value, amount, stability, and other features necessary to provide a guarantee of payment of the taxes due this state and other governmental bodies.
(b) In addition, within 30 days after registration, the contractor shall file a statement with the Department of Revenue itemizing the machinery, materials, supplies, and equipment that he has or will have on hand at the time he begins the fulfillment of the contract where such tangible personal property has been brought, shipped, or transported from outside the State of Alabama upon which neither the use taxes or ad valorem taxes have been paid and shall pay the tax due thereon at the time of filing and thereafter shall report and pay the tax as required by the Commissioner of Revenue.
(c) Upon payment of the said taxes due, as required hereby, the deposit or the surety bond required herein shall be returned forthwith to the out-of-state contractor posting same.
(d) The Commissioner of Revenue shall have authority to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.
(Acts 1984, No. 84-227, p. 347.)
(a) The awarding authority contracting for a public works project to be financed entirely by the State of Alabama or any political subdivision of the state, shall stipulate or cause to be stipulated in the contract a provision whereby the person, firm, or corporation undertaking the project agrees to use in the execution of the contract materials, supplies, and products manufactured, mined, processed, or otherwise produced in the United States or its territories, if the same are available at reasonable and competitive prices and are not contrary to any sole source specification implemented under subsection (f) of Section 39-2-2.
(b) In the event the contractor breaches the agreement to use domestic products, and domestic products are not used, there shall be a downward adjustment in the contract price equal to any realized savings or benefits to the contractor.
(Acts 1961, No. 876, p. 1376; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) Any contractor for a public works project, financed entirely by the State of Alabama or any political subdivision thereof, within this state shall use iron or steel produced within the United States when specifications in the construction contract require the use of iron or steel and do not limit its supply to a sole source under subsection (f) of Section 39-2-2. If the awarding authority decides that the procurement of domestic iron or steel products becomes impractical as a result of a national emergency, national strike, or other cause, the awarding authority shall waive the above restriction.
(b) In the event the contractor violates the domestic iron or steel requirements of subsection (a), and domestic iron or steel is not used, there shall be a downward adjustment in the contract price equal to any realized savings or benefits to the contractor.
(Acts 1983, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 83-196, p. 368; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1; Act 2023-180, §1.)
(a) In the letting of public contracts in which any state, county, or municipal funds are utilized, except those contracts funded in whole or in part with funds received from a federal agency, preference shall be given to resident contractors, and a nonresident bidder domiciled in a state having laws granting preference to local contractors shall be awarded Alabama public contracts only on the same basis as the nonresident bidder’s state awards contracts to Alabama contractors bidding under similar circumstances; and resident contractors in Alabama, as defined in Section 39-2-12, be they corporate, individuals, or partnerships, are to be granted preference over nonresidents in awarding of contracts in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by the laws of the state of domicile of the nonresident.
(b) A summary of this law shall be made a part of the advertised specifications of all projects affected by this law.
(Acts 1984, No. 84-228, p. 348; Act 2001-637, §1.)
(a) No civil action shall be brought or maintained by a contractor in any court in this state to require any awarding authority to pay out public funds for work and labor done, for materials supplied, or on any account connected with performance of a contract for public works, if the contract was let or executed in violation of or contrary to this title or any other provision of law.
(b) The awarding authority shall, prior to the execution of final contracts and bonds, certify that the contract to be awarded is let in compliance with this title and all other applicable provisions of law; and, only for purposes of a civil action as referenced in subsection (a), the issuance of the certificate by the awarding authority shall constitute a presumption that the contract was let in accordance with the laws. The presumption may be rebutted only by a showing with clear and convincing evidence that the certification is false or fraudulent and that the contractor knew that the certification was false or fraudulent before execution of the contract.
(Acts 1961, No. 868, p. 1361, §1; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
Any awarding authority or its agents issuing a willfully false or fraudulent certificate as required by Section 39-5-1 shall be guilty of a felony and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) nor more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or, at the discretion of the jury, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than three years.
(Acts 1961, No. 868, p. 1361, §6; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
An action shall be brought by the Attorney General or may be brought by any interested citizen, in the name and for the benefit of the awarding authority, to recover paid public funds from the contractor, its surety, or any person receiving funds under any public works contract let in violation of or contrary to this title or any other provision of law, if there is clear and convincing evidence that the contractor, its surety, or such person knew of the violation before execution of the contract. The action shall be commenced within three years of final settlement of the contract.
(Acts 1961, No. 868, p. 1361, §2; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
The Attorney General, a bona fide unsuccessful or disqualified bidder, or any interested citizen may maintain an action to enjoin the letting or execution of any public works contract in violation of or contrary to the provisions of this title or any other statute and may enjoin payment of any public funds under any such contract. In the case of a successful action brought by a bidder, reasonable bid preparation costs shall be recoverable by that bidder. The action shall be commenced within 45 days of the contract award.
(Acts 1961, No. 868, p. 1361, §3; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
All persons or parties entering into contracts or agreements with an awarding authority for the construction of a public work shall be conclusively presumed to have notice of the provisions of this title.
(Acts 1961, No. 868, p. 1361, §5; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
The provisions of this title are mandatory, and shall be construed to require strict competitive bidding on contracts for public works. The courts shall not invoke or apply any principle of quantum meruit, estoppel, or any other legal or equitable principle which would allow recovery for work and labor done or materials furnished under any contract let in violation of competitive bidding requirements as prescribed by law.
(Acts 1961, No. 868, p. 1361, §4; Acts 1997, No. 97-225, p. 348, §1.)
(a) Wherever used in this section, unless a different meaning clearly appears in the context, the following terms shall be given the following respective interpretations:
(1) PUBLIC BUILDING or STRUCTURE. All buildings constructed for any department, agency, board, commission, council or authority of the State of Alabama, including public school buildings or structures and public buildings or structures of universities and colleges, including any additions to existing buildings or structures.
(2) STATE BUILDING COMMISSION. The building commission of 1945.
(3) RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT PROTECTION. The minimum space and fallout protection criteria recommended by the Office of Civil Defense, United States Department of Defense or its successor organization.
(b) No person, officer, official, board, commission, agency, council or authority shall cause to be planned or constructed any publicly owned building or structure in the State of Alabama costing more than $50,000.00, wherein the use of state funds are involved, including public school buildings and structures and including public buildings and structures of colleges and universities, without incorporating or causing to be incorporated in such building or structure protection from radioactive fallout for at least its normal anticipated occupancy. Such protection shall meet or exceed the minimum space and fallout protection criteria recommended by the Office of Civil Defense, United States Department of Defense, at the time of the beginning of planning of said building.
(c) It shall be the duty of the State Building Commission to certify that all public buildings or structures have been planned or are being constructed with radioactive fallout protection sufficient to comply with the provisions of this section. All public buildings and structures shall have incorporated in the architectural plans provisions for radioactive fallout protection and shall be so constructed, unless such requirement would create an additional net cost in the construction of such building or structure so as to make the provision of radioactive fallout protection economically impracticable or other factors make unnecessary or impracticable the incorporation of such radioactive fallout protection.
Any person, official, board, commission, council, agency or authority desiring an exemption from the requirements of this section with regard to any public building or structure may apply to the State Building Commission for an exemption from the requirements of the provisions of this section and the State Building Commission may grant such exemption if concurred in by the Alabama Director of Emergency Management and the Governor. In making a determination on the question of whether the requirement of radioactive fallout protection is economically impracticable, the State Building Commission shall grant an exemption in any case where application is made therefor if the cost of inclusion of radioactive fallout protection would create an additional net cost in the cost of such public building or structure in excess of the percentages of the estimated costs of such public building or structure as follows:
(1) Four percent for costs of $50,000.00 to $500,000.00.
(2) Three percent for costs of $500,001.00 to $1,500,000.00.
(3) Two percent for costs exceeding $1,500,001.00.
(Acts 1969, No. 756, p. 1335.)
(a) Each municipal governing body and county commission in this state, may, by ordinance or resolution, require that all new public buildings or structures hereafter planned or constructed and any additions to existing buildings or structures hereafter planned or constructed be so planned and constructed that fallout protection from radioactivity for at least the normal anticipated occupancy will be provided. Said municipal governing body or county commission may require that such radioactive fallout protection meet the minimum space and fallout protection criteria recommended by the Office of Civil Defense, United States Department of Defense, at the time of the beginning of the planning of such building or structure. In no case, however, shall a requirement be made if the cost of inclusion of radioactive fallout protection in such building or structure would create an additional net cost in the cost of any such building or structure in excess of the percentages of the estimated costs of such building or structure as follows:
(1) Four percent for costs of $50,000.00 to $500,000.00.
(2) Three percent for costs of $500,001.00 to $1,500,000.00.
(3) Two percent for costs exceeding $1,500,001.00.
(b) The provisions of this section are in addition to any other powers and authorities heretofore conferred upon municipal and county governing bodies relating to regulations to buildings and structures and the provisions of this section are cumulative thereto.
(Acts 1969, No. 757, p. 1337.)
When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) AUTHORITY. A corporation created pursuant to this chapter.
(2) MUNICIPALITY. Any city or town incorporated under the laws of the State of Alabama and the inhabitants of an area containing not less than 250 qualified electors outside of an unincorporated city or town who shall become incorporated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(3) TERRITORY. The geographical area coterminous with the boundaries of a municipality.
(4) GOVERNING BODY. The body or board, by whatsoever name it may be known, having charge of the finances of a municipality.
(5) SERVICES. Any one or more or all of the following: water, sewerage, telephone, gas or electric heat, light, or power services, commodities or facilities.
(6) ENTERPRISE. The business, undertaking or enterprise of furnishing services.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §17; Acts 1956, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 68, p. 359, §1.)
The citizens of any city or town in the State of Alabama or the citizens of any area in the State of Alabama containing as many as 250 qualified electors may be incorporated as an authority under this chapter.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §18.)
A petition, in the form and executed as provided in Sections 39-7-4 and 39-7-5 may be presented by filing the same with the clerk of the city or town, and when the petition is signed by inhabitants of an area with 250 qualified electors it may be presented to the probate judge of the county in which the electors reside. It shall be signed by qualified electors in the territory by a number of at least equal to five percent of the total number of qualified electors in said territory.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §19.)
(a) The petition shall be in substantially the following form: “To the (herein insert the name of governing body) of the City (or Town) or to the Probate Judge of _____ County. We, the undersigned, qualified electors of the area embraced within the city or town or of the following described area _____ respectfully petition that there be submitted to a vote of the qualified electors in said area the following question: ‘Shall the citizens of said city or town or the citizens of said described area (describing it) be incorporated by the name of the Improvement Authority of (here insert name of city or town, or area) for the purpose of engaging in the enterprise of furnishing to such city, town or area and its inhabitants or to the inhabitants of such area described for public and private uses the following services:
_____________________________’
(Signatures of electors)
(Residences by street and number)
_____________________________”
(b) One of the persons who presents and files the petition shall make an affidavit that the signatures on the petition are genuine signatures and that the persons who signed their names thereto are qualified electors according to the published poll list.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §20.)
The probate or circuit court or any judge thereof within the county shall have summary jurisdiction upon complaint of an elector to determine the sufficiency of the petition and shall make such order as justice may require as to such sufficiency. Such summary proceeding shall be instituted within 10 days after the petition is filed with the clerk or probate judge.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §21.)
The clerk or probate judge shall give notice of the submission of the question by causing notice of the filing of the petition and the question to be submitted to be published at least once on the same day of each week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the territory.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §24.)
If the petition shall have been filed with the clerk or probate judge or, in case a summary proceeding has been instituted, a final order thereon has been made in favor of the sufficiency of the petition not more than 60 days and not less than 30 days prior to a general city or town or county election, the body of the city or town to which such petition is directed or the probate judge of the county in which the unincorporated area is located shall cause the question proposed by the petition to be duly submitted to a vote of the electors of the territory at such general election.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §22.)
If a petition shall not have been filed or, in case a summary proceeding has been instituted, a final order thereon has not been made in favor of the sufficiency of the petition so as to permit the question to be submitted at a general election within the provisions of Section 39-7-7, the body to which such petition is directed shall at its next regular meeting succeeding the presentation of the petition or, in case a summary proceeding has been instituted, succeeding the date of a final order thereon in favor of the sufficiency of the petition or the probate judge of the county in which the unincorporated area is located shall designate a day for the holding of a special election to ascertain the will of the electors regarding the question, which day shall not be less than 30 days nor more than 40 days from the date of such regular meeting.
The provisions of the election laws covering the registration of voters, equipment of polling places, furnishing of supplies, appointment of election officers, voting and canvassing of returns, at a general election shall apply to such election.
The governing body of such city or town or the governing body of the county in which the unincorporated area is located is hereby authorized to appropriate and expend from moneys raised by taxation for the necessary expense of such special election.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §23.)
The question set forth in the petition shall be printed on the ballot. At the left of the question there shall be printed two voting squares, with the word “Yes” for voting for the question at the right of one square and the word “No” for voting against the question at the right of the other square.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §25.)
At the regular meeting of the governing body of the municipality next succeeding the completion of the canvass and the statement and proclamation of result, such governing body shall adopt a resolution setting forth the question submitted at the election, the number of votes cast for the question and the number of votes cast against the question. If the number of votes cast for the question exceeds the number of votes cast against the question at such election, such resolution shall further declare that the citizens of the State of Alabama who are inhabitants of the territory, the boundaries of which are coterminous with the boundaries of such municipality, are incorporated as the “Improvement Authority of _____.”
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §26.)
The citizens of the State of Alabama who are inhabitants of such territory shall become and be an incorporated authority under this chapter from and after the date of adoption of the resolution of the governing body of such municipality declaring that such citizens are incorporated as the “Improvement Authority of _____.”
Within five days after the adoption of such resolution by the governing body, the clerk or probate judge shall transmit a certified copy thereof together with a complete record of all proceedings had in regard to the incorporation of such authority, to the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Alabama where it shall be filed as a public record. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to furnish to the Department of Finance on October 1 of each year the names of the authorities which have been incorporated pursuant to this chapter with a statement of the date of the resolution declaring the incorporation of such authority. Such statement shall be published by the Department of Finance in its annual report under a separate and appropriate heading and such statement, so published, shall be conclusive evidence of such incorporation.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §27.)
(a) Each authority incorporated under this chapter shall be a public corporation in perpetuity under its corporate name and the same shall in that name be a body politic and corporate, with power of perpetual succession.
(b) The power of each authority shall be vested in and exercised by a majority of the members of the board of trustees of the improvement authority in office.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §28.)
(a) An authority shall be incorporated for the purpose of conducting and developing the enterprise in which it may engage in such manner that the services afforded by such enterprise shall be available for public uses and to all inhabitants of the municipality and the surrounding area for domestic and industrial uses at the lowest cost consistent with sound economy and prudent management. Every authority incorporated under this chapter is hereby vested with all powers necessary and requisite for the accomplishment of such purpose for which such authority is incorporated capable of being delegated by the Legislature of the State of Alabama. The authority shall have the power to acquire, construct, reconstruct, extend, improve and maintain and operate any plant, works, system, facilities or properties together with all parts thereof and appurtenances thereto used or useful for the generation, production, transmission and distribution of electric energy, natural or artificial gas or mixtures thereof, for obtaining a water supply and the storage and distribution of water, for the collection, disposal and treatment of sewage, telephone system and service and generally for the conduct and development of the enterprise. No enumeration of particular powers granted by this section shall be construed to impair any general grant of power contained in this section or to limit any such grant to a power or powers of the same class or classes as those so enumerated. The authority is empowered to do all acts necessary, proper or convenient in the exercise of the powers granted under this chapter.
(b) In addition to all other powers, the authority shall have and may exercise the power to sell, transfer and convey to any public corporation having authority to carry on the business of a water distribution system, including those organized under Division 1, Article 6, Chapter 50, Subtitle 2 of Title 11, its entire water system, including all of its property and assets, real, personal and mixed, for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by and between the authority and such purchaser; provided, that the consideration therefor shall include and require, among others, the assumption by such purchaser of the outstanding and unpaid bonded indebtedness, if any, of the authority and shall include an agreement by such purchaser to supply water to the authority’s then existing water customers under the purchaser’s rules and regulations applicable and which may thereafter be or become applicable to the purchaser’s system as a whole.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §40; Acts 1965, No. 837, p. 1572.)
(a) Each improvement authority shall have a board of trustees consisting of not more than five members that are qualified electors residing in the area serviced by the authority.
(b) When the authority is composed of an incorporated city or town, the trustees shall be appointed by the governing body of the city or town. When the authority is composed in whole or in part of the inhabitants of an unincorporated area, the governing body of the county in which the area is composed appoints the trustees. In the event the unincorporated area is composed of parts of different counties, the Governor of the state shall appoint the board. All vacancies on the board shall be filled by the proper authority designated in this section. The first appointment of the members of the board shall be made not later than 30 days after the improvement authority becomes an incorporation as provided for in this chapter.
(c) The term of the office of the members of the board shall be one, two, and three years respectively dating from January 1 of the year in which the appointments are made. Thereafter the terms of office of the members are for three years. Members shall hold office until their successors are appointed and qualify. An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term.
(d) The appointing authority may remove any member within the term for which he or she shall have been appointed, after giving a copy of the charges against the member and an opportunity to be heard in his or her defense. The action of the appointing authority shall be final and nonreviewable.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §29; Acts 1992, No. 92-435, §1.)
The members of the board shall not hold any public office under the municipality.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §33.)
Promptly after their appointment the members of the board shall meet to organize. At such meeting and at the first meeting in each year thereafter, the members of the board shall choose from their number a president and a secretary.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §30.)
Each member of the board shall receive for his or her services compensation in an amount to be fixed by the board. The compensation to the members of the board shall be paid monthly from money received by the authority from its operations. The members of the board shall be entitled to reimbursement for all expenses incurred in connection with performance of their duties. The board may delegate to one or more of its members or to its agents and employees such powers and duties as it may deem proper.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §32; Acts 1965, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 200, p. 268; Act 2002-501, p. 1298, §1.)
The board of trustees shall have power to do all things necessary or convenient in conducting and developing the enterprise, including but not limited to the following powers:
(1) To adopt and amend bylaws for the management and regulation of its affairs and the enterprise in which it is engaged;
(2) To use, with the consent of the municipality, the agents, employees or facilities of such municipality and to provide for payment of the agreed proportion of the cost therefor;
(3) To appoint officers, agents and employees and to fix their compensation;
(4) To inquire into any matter relating to the affairs of the authority, to compel by subpoena the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers material to any such inquiry, to administer oaths to witnesses and to examine witnesses and such books and papers;
(5) To appoint an advisory board to assist in the formation of proper policies in respect of the enterprise; and,
(6) To execute instruments.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §31.)
Jurisdiction, supervision, possession and control of all property, real and personal, tangible and intangible, together with all easements, water rights and other rights therein and all other adjuncts, including books, papers and records, pertaining to any plant or system owned, managed, supervised, possessed and controlled by a municipality for the purpose of furnishing any services named in the petition pursuant to which an authority is incorporated shall devolve and are hereby conferred and imposed upon such authority.
The provisions of any laws regulating the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties of officers and employees of such municipality shall continue in full force and effect until the board of trustees of such authority by its bylaws confers such powers upon its officers, agents or employees or imposes such duties upon its officers, agents or employees.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §34.)
Officers and employees of any board, commission or department in or of the municipality may be transferred to the authority and shall be eligible for such transfer and appointment without examination to offices and positions under such authority. The transfer and appointment of such officers and employees shall be made in accordance with the provisions of any agreement which may be entered into between the governing body of such municipality and the board of trustees of such authority.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §35.)
The obligations of contracts of the municipality shall not be impaired by this chapter.
Moneys to provide for the payment of notes, bonds or other obligations issued by the municipality in relation to any plant or system, the management, supervision, possession and control of which shall devolve upon such authority, shall be raised, collected and paid for by such municipality as though this chapter had not been enacted; except, that in the event such notes, bonds or other obligations constitute a charge, lien or other encumbrance upon the revenue of such plant or system, the duty to raise, collect and apply such revenues to the payment of such notes, bonds or other obligations shall rest upon such authority rather than upon the municipality and such notes, bonds or other obligations shall remain a charge, lien or other encumbrance upon such revenues.
All contracts of such municipality in relation to any such plant or system shall be assumed by such authority and the terms and conditions to be performed on the part of such municipality shall be complied with and performed by the board of trustees of such authority and the benefits of such contracts shall inure to the benefit of such authority.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §36.)
(a) Subject only to the Constitution of the State of Alabama, each authority incorporated under this chapter shall have power:
(1) To sue and be sued;
(2) To have a seal and alter the same at pleasure;
(3) To acquire, by purchase, gift, devise, lease or exercise of the power of eminent domain or other mode of acquisition, hold and dispose of property real and personal, tangible and intangible, and interests therein in its own name, subject to mortgages or other liens or otherwise, and to pay therefor in cash or on credit and to secure and procure payment of all or any part of the purchase price thereof on such terms and conditions as it shall determine;
(4) To make and enter into contracts, indentures of trust, leases and bonds;
(5) To borrow money and to issue negotiable bonds and provide for the rights of the holders thereof;
(6) To refund any bonds theretofore issued by it by the issuance of refunding bonds to a principal amount not in excess of the principal amount of bonds to be refunded, any premium required in order to redeem or retire the bonds to be refunded and any interest accrued or to accrue on such bonds to the date of their redemption or retirement;
(7) To issue bonds for the combined purpose of so refunding any bonds theretofore issued by it and paying all or any part of the costs of constructing and acquiring any one or more enterprises or any improvements, extensions or enlargements thereto;
(8) To fix, maintain and collect rates and charges for any services;
(9) To pledge all or any part of its revenues;
(10) To make such covenants, in connection with the issuance of bonds or in order to secure the payment of bonds, that a private business corporation can make under the general laws of the state, notwithstanding that such covenants may operate as limitations on the exercise of any of the powers granted by this chapter;
(11) To enter on any lands, waters and premises for the purpose of making surveys, soundings and examinations;
(12) To pay to the municipality the whole or any part of the amount necessary to be raised by taxation by such municipality in order to pay, when due, notes, bonds or other obligations issued by such municipality in relation to any plant or system, the management, supervision, control and possession of which is transferred pursuant to this chapter from such municipality to such authority;
(13) To perform any and all acts and do any and all things by contract or contracts or under, through or by means of its own officers, agents and employees;
(14) To purchase, produce or otherwise secure water, gas and electric energy; and
(15) To exercise all powers of eminent domain now or hereafter conferred on municipalities in this state.
(b) No bonds or other evidence of indebtedness of an authority incorporated under this chapter shall be issued or sold until consent to the issuance and sale thereof shall have been given by the Department of Finance of Alabama, to be evidenced by resolution or order under seal of such body granting such consent. Such consent shall be granted only after a public hearing and after a petition requesting such consent has been duly filed by such authority with the Department of Finance more than five days before such public hearing. Such petition shall specify the plan or program of the authority and the uses to which it is proposed to put the proceeds of such issue and such other matters as are necessary fully to advise such Department of Finance of the nature of the enterprise and said petition shall include such other information as may be required by the rules of the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance shall grant such consent only after it finds that such issue or sale serves some public need and is in the public interest. It shall be unlawful for the authority to use the proceeds of any such issue or sale contrary to the plan and purposes presented to the Department of Finance in obtaining its consent thereto.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §41; Acts 1956, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 68, p. 359, §2; Acts 1962, Ex. Sess., No. 155, p. 197.)
Bonds of an authority shall be authorized by resolution of the board of trustees of such authority and may be issued in one or more series, may bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times not exceeding 40 years from their respective dates, bear interest at such rate or rates, payable semiannually, be in such denominations, be in such form, either coupon or registered, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, be subject to such terms of redemption, with or without premium, and be subject to being declared or becoming due before the maturity date thereof as such resolution or resolutions may provide. Said bonds may be issued for money or property, either at public or private sale, and for such price or prices as such authority shall determine. Pending the preparation or execution of definitive bonds, interim receipts or certificates or temporary bonds may be delivered to the purchaser or purchasers of said bonds. Said bonds may, with the consent of the holder thereof, be purchased by such authority out of any funds available for such purpose, and all bonds so purchased shall be cancelled. Said bonds shall be construed to constitute negotiable instruments even though payable from a specified source.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §44; Acts 1956, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 68, p. 359, §3; Acts 1971, No. 1299, p. 2246.)
The bonds and other obligations of an authority incorporated under this chapter shall not be a debt of the State of Alabama nor a debt of the municipality and neither the state nor the municipality shall be liable in any way whatsoever thereon nor may the holder of any such bonds or obligations compel the levy of any taxes for its payment. Said bonds shall not be payable out of any funds other than those of the authority issuing the same and each bond shall contain a recital to that effect. Neither the members of the board of trustees nor any person executing said bonds shall be liable personally on said bonds by reason of the issuance thereof.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §45.)
In addition to all other rights and all other remedies any holder or holders of any bond or bonds of any authority incorporated under this chapter, including a trustee for bondholders, shall have, subject to any contractual limitations binding upon such bondholder or holders or trustee, and subject to the prior or superior rights of others the following rights:
(1) To institute a civil action on the bonds;
(2) To enforce his rights by mandamus or other civil action or proceeding against such authority and the board of trustees of such authority, including the right to require such authority and such board of trustees to fix and collect rates and charges adequate to carry out any agreement as to or pledge of the revenues produced by such rates or charges and to require such authority and such board to carry out any other covenants and agreements with such bondholder and to perform its and their duties under this chapter;
(3) To require such authority by civil action to account as if it were the trustee of an express trust for such bondholder;
(4) To enjoin by civil action any acts or things which may be unlawful or a violation of the rights of such bondholder; and
(5) To obtain by civil action or proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction in the event of a default by the authority in the payment when due of his or their bond or bonds or interest thereon, which default shall have continued for a period in excess of 120 days, the appointment of a receiver of the enterprise in which the authority is engaged or any part or parts thereof, who may enter and take possession of such enterprise or any part or parts thereof, including all lands, property rights, easements and other adjuncts of the enterprise in which the authority shall have been engaged. Such receiver may engage in such enterprise, furnish the service or services thereof, operate and maintain the system and fix and collect and receive all revenues thereafter arising therefrom in the same manner as such authority itself might do and shall deposit all such moneys in a separate account or accounts and apply the same in accordance with the obligations of such authority as the court shall direct.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §46.)
The State of Alabama does hereby pledge to and agree with the holders of bonds issued by an authority pursuant to this chapter that the state will not limit or alter the rights and powers hereby vested in an authority incorporated under this chapter to fix and collect such rates and charges as may be necessary or advisable in order to produce sufficient revenue to meet all the expenses of maintenance and operation and to fulfill the terms of any agreements made with the holders of such bonds or in any way impair the rights and remedies of the holders of such bonds, until such bonds together with interest thereon and interest on any unpaid installments of interest, and all costs and expenses in connection with any civil actions or proceedings by or on behalf of such bondholders are fully paid and discharged.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §49.)
All moneys of an authority incorporated under this chapter from whatever source derived shall be paid to the treasurer of such authority and deposited by said treasurer in a depository designated by the board of trustees of such authority. The treasurer shall not commingle said moneys with any other moneys. Said moneys shall be deposited in a separate bank account or accounts. The moneys in said accounts shall be paid out on check or warrant of the treasurer of said authority on requisition of the board of trustees or of such other person or persons as the authority may authorize to make such requisitions. All deposits of such money shall, if required by such treasurer or by the board of trustees of the authority, be secured by obligations of the United States or of the State of Alabama of a market value equal at all times to the amount of the deposit and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give such security for such deposits. The treasurer of such authority shall be liable for a proper accounting of the moneys of the authority. This section shall not be construed as limiting the power of the authority to agree as to the custody and disposition of moneys or revenues for the security of its bonds; provided, that the moneys of the authority shall not be entrusted to any person, firm or corporation unless adequate security for its protection shall be given.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §42; Acts 1957, No. 449, p. 611.)
The municipality or, in case of an unincorporated area in one county, the county governing body or, in an unincorporated area in two or more counties, the Governor of Alabama, are hereby authorized and empowered from time to time to examine the accounts and books of such authority, including its receipts, disbursements, contracts, leases, sinking funds, investments and any other matters relating to its financial standing. Such examination shall be made at least once in every year and a copy of such examination shall be furnished the board of trustees of such authority, together with a copy of any recommendations made that the examiner may deem advisable.
A condensed statement and analysis of the financial standing and condition of the said authority shall be published in a newspaper circulating in the territory of the authority.
Upon request of a trustee or trustees of any bondholders, the Governor of Alabama shall have a special audit and examination of the accounts and the books of such authority made at the expense of the authority.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §43.)
The authority shall not include in an enterprise in which it is engaged the furnishing of any services not named in the petition provided for by this chapter unless the furnishing of such additional services shall be submitted to and approved by the electors of the territory of such authority. If the board of trustees of such authority shall by resolution determine to submit the question of furnishing such additional services or if a petition requesting the submission of such a question in the general form and executed as provided for petitions for the submission to vote on the question of incorporating an authority under this chapter shall be filed with the secretary of the board of trustees of the authority, such question shall be submitted for the approval of such electors at a special election in the territory to be held not less than 60 days after the adoption of such resolution or the filing of such petition or at the next general election in the municipality if the same is held not less than 60 days after such adoption or filing.
The mode or method of procedure for the submission of such question, the publication of notice therefor, the conduct thereof, the canvassing of votes thereat and the proclamation of result shall conform as nearly as may be reasonable with the mode or method of procedure for the submission of the question of the incorporation of such authority at an election as provided in this chapter, except that the board of trustees of each authority shall act in the place and stead of the governing body and the secretary of the board of trustees shall act in the place and stead of the clerk of the municipality. If the number of votes cast in favor of the furnishing of such additional services exceeds the number of votes cast against the furnishing of such additional services at such election, the authority shall within a reasonable time furnish such additional services.
The provisions of this chapter relative to the jurisdiction of the authority and the transfer of property, powers and duties to the authority after the incorporation thereof shall apply to the enlargement of the services thereof in like manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the services furnished by the authority by virtue of the petition for incorporation.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §37.)
The services of the authority shall not be diminished so as to exclude from an enterprise in which the authority is engaged the furnishing of any services unless and until all bonds of the authority and interest thereon issued by the authority pursuant to this chapter shall have been finally paid and discharged, except with the consent of the holders of 75 percent in amount of such bonds then outstanding secured in whole or in part by a pledge of revenues derived from the furnishing of the services to be excluded. Thereafter, such services may be diminished and the mode or method of procedure for the diminishing of such services shall conform as nearly as may be reasonable to the provisions of this chapter relative to the manner of enlarging the services of such authority.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §38.)
Not more than one special election shall be held in any territory upon the question of enlarging or diminishing services and not more than two special elections upon the question of incorporating an authority in any calendar year.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §39.)
No improvement authority incorporated under this chapter shall furnish any service to the inhabitants of a city or town other than the municipality, except with the consent of the governing body of such city or town. Except as provided in this section, the authority may furnish services for public and private uses in the area within 25 miles from the boundaries of its territory.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §47.)
(a) This chapter is intended to aid the state in the execution of its duties by providing appropriate and independent instrumentalities of the state with full and adequate power to fulfill their functions.
(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this chapter, it shall not be necessary for any improvement authority incorporated under this chapter to obtain, prior to engaging in an enterprise of furnishing a service or acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, improving or extending a plant system, any certificate of convenience or necessity, franchise, license, permit or any other authorization from any board, bureau, commission, department or other like agency of the state or any county, city or town of the state.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §48.)
Any authority incorporated under this chapter insofar as the subject matter of this chapter is concerned shall be governed exclusively by the provisions of this chapter.
(Acts 1935, No. 40, p. 72; Code 1940, T. 50, §50.)
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Fair and Open Competition in Governmental Construction Act.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §1.)
The Legislature finds and declares that this chapter shall do all of the following:
(1) Provide for the efficient procurement of goods and services by governmental units.
(2) Promote the economical, nondiscriminatory, and efficient administration and completion of state and state-funded or state-assisted construction projects.
(3) Provide for fair and open competition for construction contracts, grants, tax abatements, and tax credits awarded by governmental units.
(4) Prohibit requirements for certain terms in construction contracts awarded by governmental units or supported through grants and tax subsidies and abatements by governmental units.
(5) Prohibit expenditure of public funds under certain conditions.
(6) Prohibit certain terms in procurement documents for certain expenditures by governmental units involving public facilities.
(7) Provide powers and duties for certain public officers, employees, and contractors.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §2.)
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings:
(1) PUBLIC AGENCY. The State of Alabama, and any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state, any public trust, any public entity specifically created by the statutes of the State of Alabama or as a result of statutory authorization therefor, and any department, agency, board, bureau, commission, committee, or authority of any of the foregoing public entities.
(2) PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT. Any beneficial or valuable change or addition, betterment, enhancement, or amelioration of or upon any real property, or interest therein, belonging to a public agency intended to enhance its value, beauty, or utility or to adapt it to new or further purposes. The term does not include the direct purchase of materials, equipment, or supplies by a public agency, or any personal property.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §3.)
A public agency awarding any contract for the construction, repair, remodeling, or demolition of a public improvement, or obligating funds pursuant to such a contract, shall ensure that neither the awarding public agency nor any construction manager acting on behalf of the public agency, in its bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents shall include any of the following:
(1) A term that requires, prohibits, encourages, or discourages bidders, contractors, or subcontractors from entering into or adhering to agreements with a collective bargaining organization relating to the construction project or other related construction projects.
(2) A term that discriminates against bidders, contractors, or subcontractors based on the status as a party or nonparty to, or the willingness or refusal to enter into, an agreement with a collective bargaining organization relating to the construction project or other related construction projects.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §4.)
A public agency shall not award a grant, tax abatement, or tax credit that is conditioned upon a requirement that the awardee include a term described in Section 39-8-4 in a contract document for any construction, improvement, maintenance, or renovation to real property or fixtures that are the subject of the grant, tax abatement, or tax credit.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §5.)
A public agency or a construction manager or other contracting entity acting on behalf of a public agency shall not place any of the terms described in Section 39-8-4 in bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents relating to the construction, repair, remodeling, or demolition of a public improvement. Any such included term shall be void and of no effect.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §6.)
The head of a public agency may exempt a particular project, contract, subcontract, grant, tax abatement, or tax credit from the requirements of Section 39-8-4 if the public agency finds, after public notice and hearing, that special circumstances require an exemption to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety. A finding of special circumstances under this section shall not be based on the possibility or presence of a labor dispute concerning the use of contractors or subcontractors who are nonsignatories to, or otherwise do not adhere to, agreements with one or more collective bargaining organizations, or concerning employees on the project who are not members of or affiliated with a collective bargaining organization.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §7.)
(a) The requirements of this chapter shall not apply to public construction contracts executed before June 1, 2014.
(b) This chapter does not do any of the following:
(1) Prohibit employers or other parties from entering into agreements or engaging in any other activity protected by the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. Sections 151 to 169.
(2) Interfere with labor relations of parties that are left unregulated under the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. Sections 151 to 169.
(3) Prohibit a public agency from awarding a public contract, grant, tax abatement, or tax credit to a private owner, bidder, contractor, or subcontractor who enters into or who is a party to an agreement with a collective bargaining organization, if being or becoming a party or adhering to an agreement with a collective bargaining organization is not a condition for award of the public contract, grant, tax abatement, or tax credit, and if the public agency does not discriminate against a private owner, bidder, contractor, or subcontractor in the awarding of that grant, tax abatement, or tax credit based upon the status as being or becoming, or the willingness or refusal to become, a party to an agreement with a collective bargaining organization.
(Act 2014-107, p. 180, §8.)
The Legislature finds that it is in the best interest of this state and its residents to ensure that any private business or individual entering into a road or bridge contract is financially responsible under the tort liability system for damages that the private party may cause while performing under the contract. It is the intent of this chapter to promote competition and safety relating to road or bridge contracts by requiring a party to be responsible for any and all damages, losses, or injuries, including, but not limited to, attorney’s fees and other litigation costs, caused by the party.
(Act 2021-244, §1.)
As used in this chapter, the following words have the following meanings:
(1) PARTY. A private business or individual that is a party to a road and bridge contract. The term does not include the Department of Transportation, a county commission, or any other governmental awarding authority.
(2) ROAD OR BRIDGE CONTRACT. A contract or a subcontract for the planning, construction, repair, reconstruction, replacement, rehabilitation, or improvement of any road or bridge and financed in whole or in part by state, county, municipal, or federal funds. This definition does not include any contract for the installation, construction, repair, replacement, relocation, or maintenance of facilities or equipment of a utility or located on utility infrastructure in public road or bridge rights-of-way.
(Act 2021-244, §2.)
A road or bridge contract may not require a party to the contract to indemnify, hold harmless, or defend another party for liability, damages, losses, or costs caused by the negligence, wantonness, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of the party to be indemnified or its officers, employees, or agents. Any such requirement contained in a contract entered into after April 20, 2021 is void and unenforceable.
(Act 2021-244, §3.)
A road or bridge contract may contain a provision requiring a party to the contract to indemnify, hold harmless, or defend another party, but only to the extent that liability, damages, losses, or costs are caused by the negligence, wantonness, recklessness, or intentional conduct of the indemnifying party or the indemnifying party’s officers, employees, or agents.
(Act 2021-244, §4.)
A road or bridge contract may not require a party to the contract to provide insurance coverage to another party as an additional insured for claims that arise out of or are caused by the second party’s own negligent, reckless, wanton, or intentional conduct or that of its officers, employees, or agents. Any additional insured coverage required under a road or bridge contract may not be broader than the scope of indemnity provided for in Section 39-9-3 or Section 39-9-4.
(Act 2021-244, §5.)
This chapter does not apply to indemnity of a surety by a principal on a construction contract bond or to indemnity of an insurer’s obligations to its insureds.
(Act 2021-244, §6.)
This chapter only applies to indemnity contracts between private parties to public works projects for roads or bridges and has no effect on third-party tort claims.
(Act 2021-244, §7.)
Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, this chapter shall not be interpreted or construed to affect joint and several liability or workers’ compensation laws.
(Act 2021-244, §8.)
This chapter does not affect contractual obligations of any contracting party to the Department of Transportation, a county commission, or any other awarding entity.
(Act 2021-244, §9.)
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