HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 2SSB 5757

                      As Passed House:

                      February 26, 1996

Title:  An act relating to bidding requirements.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to bidding requirements.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators McCaslin, Haugen, Winsley, Heavey and Sheldon).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Operations:  2/16/96, 2/20/96 [DP].

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  2/26/96, 95-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Reams, Chairman; Cairnes, Vice Chairman; Goldsmith, Vice Chairman; Rust, Ranking Minority Member; Scott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Conway; R. Fisher; Hargrove; Honeyford; Hymes; Mulliken; Scheuerman; D. Schmidt; Van Luven and Wolfe.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  There are no provisions which assign any consequences to a low bidder for county, city, town, state, or special purpose district contracts for public works, or for contracts with the state for purchases, in the event that he or she claims error.  A claim of error can result in all bids being void and new bids being solicited.

Summary of Bill:  If a low bidder claims error and fails to enter into a contract, he or she is prohibited from bidding on the same project if a call for second or subsequent bids is made for that project.  This provision applies to projects for the state, cities, towns, special purpose districts, and counties for all public works, and for purchases made by the Department of General Administration for the state and its agencies and departments.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This will help prevent bid auctions and exposure of bids.  It has taken years to arrive at this solution and it has everyone's support.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Mark Triplett, Utility Contractors Association; Rick Slunaker, Associated General Contractors; and Ted Slatten, Independent Business Association.