Section 10853 Of Article 8. Modifications; Performance; Payment From California Public Contract Code >> Division 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 2.5. >> Article 8.
10853
. (a) If the trustees fail to make a progress payment on a
contract within 39 days after receipt of an undisputed and properly
submitted payment request from a contractor on a construction
contract, the trustees shall pay interest to the contractor
equivalent to the legal rate set forth in subdivision (a) of Section
685.010 of the Code of Civil Procedure. If the payment is not made
within 39 days of receipt of the contractor's request, and the
Controller has processed the payment within 14 days of the receipt of
the request, the trustees shall pay interest to the contractor
equivalent to the legal rate as provided in subdivision (a) of
Section 685.010 of the Code of Civil Procedure. If the payment is not
made within 39 days of receipt of the contractor's request, and the
trustees have processed the payment within 25 days after the receipt
of the request, the Controller shall pay interest equivalent to the
legal rate as provided in subdivision (a) of Section 685.010 of the
Code of Civil Procedure.
(b) Upon receipt of a payment request, the trustees shall act in
accordance with the following:
(1) Each payment request shall be reviewed by the trustees as soon
as practicable after receipt for the purpose of determining that the
payment request is a proper payment request.
(2) Any payment request determined not to be a proper request
suitable for payment shall be returned to the contractor as soon as
practicable, but not later than seven days after receipt. A request
returned pursuant to this paragraph shall be accompanied by a
document setting forth in writing the reasons why the payment request
is not proper.
(3) Upon request from the trustees, the Controller may elect to
expedite each payment request and may charge the trustees an
appropriate amount, as determined by the Controller, for costs
incurred in expediting the payment request.
(c) The number of days available to the trustees to make a payment
without incurring interest shall be reduced by the number of days by
which the trustees exceed the seven-day return requirement set forth
in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(d) A properly submitted payment request shall be defined as the
date upon which the trustees receive a payment request, certified in
accordance with the contract, at the address identified in the
contract.
(e) For purposes of this section:
(1) A "progress payment" includes all payments due contractors,
except that portion of the final payment withheld pursuant to Section
10851.
(2) A payment request shall be considered properly executed if
funds are available for payment of the payment request and payment is
not delayed due to an audit inquiry by the Controller.