(1) The department may, at any time, select any class, category or description of proposal or an eligible project, including any individual proposal or project, for the purpose of giving priority to the processing and consideration of unsolicited proposals by issuing a written order that declares that the department will give priority to the processing and consideration of unsolicited proposals for certain types of projects (or to a particular proposal), and describes the class or character of the proposals or projects (or the particular proposal or project) that are given priority. The priority order may either specify the term of the priority order, identify the submitted proposals (or proposal) that are subject to the priority order, or provide that the priority order will continue in effect until recalled by a subsequent order of the department.

(2) Commencing on the effective date of the order giving priority, the department may undertake expedited processing and consideration of unsolicited proposals (or a particular unsolicited proposal) for transportation projects of the class, category or description contained in the order. The limited resources of the department, in such cases, will require either the postponement of, or delay in, the processing and consideration of unsolicited proposals for projects that are not within a class, category or description that is subject to a priority order.

(3) By submitting an unsolicited proposal, each proposer thereby waives and relinquishes every claim of right, entitlement or expectation that:

(a) Its proposal will enjoy the benefit of a priority order; and

(b) The processing and consideration of its proposal will not be subject to postponement or delay arising out of the department's issuance of an order that gives priority to another proposal or to proposals for different classes, categories or descriptions of projects.

(4) The department may, by written order, suspend the acceptance and consideration of proposals based on the types, classes, cost ranges, geographic areas of projects, or other factors as determined by the department. The order will specify either the term of the suspension or that the suspension will continue until recalled by a subsequent order of the department.

(5) Commencing on the effective date of the suspension order, the department will refuse to accept unsolicited proposals or unsolicited proposals for projects of the class, category or description contained in the order, and may, as stated in the order, cease further processing and consideration of any such unsolicited proposals then currently under consideration by the department.

(6) By submitting an unsolicited proposal, each proposer thereby waives and relinquishes every claim of right, entitlement or expectation that the processing and consideration of its proposal will not be subject to suspension under this rule.

(7) The state of Washington, the department of transportation, the Washington transportation commission, and their officers and employees, shall have no responsibility or liability of any nature for the preservation, confidentiality or safekeeping of any proposal that is subject to a suspension order under this rule and is submitted to the department while that suspension order is in effect.