Article 25. Boards Of Supervisors—county Highways of California Public Contract Code >> Division 2. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 25.

The provisions of this article shall apply to contracts by boards of supervisors for the construction, repair, or maintenance of a county highway, as provided for in Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1070) of Division 2 of the Streets and Highways Code.

Whenever the board of supervisors finds that the estimated expense of any necessary work upon any county highway exceeds the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), the board shall order definite surveys of the proposed work to be made and shall direct the preparation of profiles, cross sections, plans, and specifications.

Upon receipt of such profiles, cross sections, plans, and specifications, the board shall publish a notice calling for sealed bids for the performance of the work specified. The notice shall refer to said profiles, cross sections, plans, and specifications, and shall set a time at which bids will be opened. The board shall cause this notice to be published for at least 10 consecutive times, prior to the date set for opening bids, in a daily newspaper of general circulation printed and published in the county and designated by the board, or for at least two consecutive times prior to such date in a weekly newspaper printed and published in the county and designated by the board.

All bids for construction work shall be presented under sealed cover and shall be accompanied by one of the following forms of bidder's security:
  (a) Cash.
  (b) A cashier's check made payable to the county.
  (c) A certified check made payable to the county.
  (d) A bidder's bond executed by an admitted surety insurer, made payable to the county. Upon an award to the lowest bidder, the security of an unsuccessful bidder shall be returned in a reasonable period of time, but in no event shall that security be held by the county beyond 60 days from the time the award is made.

At the time specified in the notice, the board shall publicly open all bids received and shall award the contract for the work to the lowest responsible bidder, unless the board finds that the bids are too high, and that the work can be done more cheaply by day labor. In such case, the board shall reject the bids and order the work to be done by the road commissioners in whose districts the work is situated. In any case, the board may reject all bids and advertise for new bids in the manner specified in this article. The board may provide, by resolution, that the bids be opened, examined, and declared by an officer designated in the resolution. Any such resolution shall require that the bids be opened at a public meeting called by the officer and that the results of the bidding be reported to the board at a subsequent regular board meeting. The notice inviting bids shall state the time and place of the public meeting and the name of the designated officer.

Whenever the board finds that the estimated expense of any work to be done upon any county highway is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less, the board or the purchasing agent may let a contract covering both work and material, or purchase the material and let a contract for doing the work, or purchase the materials and do the work by day labor, without calling for bids.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, whenever the board of supervisors finds that the estimated expense of any work to be done upon any county highway is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less, the board or the purchasing agent may have the work done by contract upon notice describing the work in general terms and stating a closing date for submission of bids. Notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published within the jurisdiction of the county. Notice shall be published in accordance with Section 6066 of the Government Code and shall be completed at least 48 hours before the time scheduled for opening of the bids. Notice inviting bids may also be published in a trade publication. The successful bidder shall give a bond in the amount the board requires, conditioned on the faithful performance of the contract, and on the payment of all labor employed and material used in the work. The board may delegate its authority under this section to the county road commissioner.

In any county that has appointed a road commissioner pursuant to Section 2006 of the Streets and Highways Code, or in any county that has abolished the office of road commissioner and complied with Section 2006.1 of the Streets and Highways Code, the board may authorize the road commissioner, or a registered civil engineer under the direction of the county director of transportation, to have any work upon county highways done under his or her supervision and direction. The work may be done in any of the following ways:
  (a) By letting a contract covering both work and material. In that event, the contract shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder as provided in this article.
  (b) By purchasing the material and letting a contract for the performance of the work. In that event, the material shall be bought at the lowest possible cost and the contract let to the lowest responsible bidder as provided in this article.
  (c) By purchasing the material and having the work done by day labor, in which case advertising for bids is not required.
  (d) (1) By authorizing the county road commissioner or a registered civil engineer under the direction of the county director of transportation to execute changes or additions to the work for any contract pursuant to this section in an amount not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) for contracts of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less, or 10 percent for contracts over fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) but not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). In no event shall any change or addition to the work exceed a net total addition of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
  (2) For contracts whose original cost exceeds two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), the extra cost for any change or addition to the work so ordered shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), plus 5 percent of the amount of the original contract cost in excess of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). In no event shall any change or alteration exceed two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000).
  (e) By purchasing the material and letting a contract for the work or by letting a contract covering both work and material without advertising for bids when the estimated cost of emergency work necessitated by the imminence or occurrence of a landslide, flood, storm damage, or other emergency exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and the public interest and necessity demand immediate action to safeguard life, health, or property.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any county employing a competent engineer as road commissioner, the board of supervisors may elect to perform work or projects or let contracts for the performance of work or projects under the provisions of the State Contract Act pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 10100) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code; and when such election is made, references in said act to state shall mean county, and references to any state agency shall mean county board of supervisors, or such county agency as the board of supervisors may designate, and the provisions of said act shall be fully applicable to work or projects so to be performed by the county.

In counties containing a population of two million or over and employing a registered engineer as road commissioner, the board of supervisors may authorize the moving, relocation, or reestablishment of detention camps by force account or day labor where such camps are used in connection with county highway construction or maintenance work, if the board determines that such work of moving, relocation, or reestablishment can be done more economically and satisfactorily by force account or day labor than by contract, and that the total estimated cost of new or additional building structural materials necessary to be purchased in order to perform such work does not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).