(1) Performance reports described in this section, substantially in the format as that appearing at WAC 468-16-210, will be completed for prime contractors only for projects valued at one hundred thousand dollars or more. Each prime contractor's performance report will be classified as to the primary work class being rated. This shall be stated in Section I of the report by listing the major classes of work performed by the contractor e.g., clearing, grading, surfacing, etc.

(2) Performance will be rated under the following headings: Administration, management, and supervision; quality of work; progress of work; and compliance with laws and contract requirements.

(3) The following adjectival ratings are established for performance reports:

(4) The performance report shall be used in evaluating a contractor's prequalification status.

(5) The report shall contain a narrative section which verbally provides the details substantiating the numerical rating. The narrative section shall be based upon documentation prepared during the life of the project, such as the project engineer's diary, the inspector's daily report and other pertinent documents. This documentation shall constitute the major portion of the administrative record to be used for any hearings or litigation that may arise from the rating process.

(6) The performance report will be prepared and discussion held with the contractor by the project engineer. The report will include a numerical rating substantiated by a narrative report which describes the contractor's typical performance. The narrative will reference such documents as will substantiate the given numerical rating.

(7) The report will be endorsed by the region operations engineer or designated assistant who will provide a copy to the contractor.

(8) The contractor may appeal the rating to the region administrator in writing within twenty calendar days of the date the report is received by the contractor. If the report is not delivered to the contractor in person, it shall be forwarded by certified mail with a return receipt requested. The appeal must set forth the specific basis upon which it has been made.

(9) The region administrator or designated assistant will review all contractor performance reports after they have been endorsed and may modify the numerical or narrative rating if such is deemed appropriate. The contractor will be advised of any changes made. The region administrator will be required to make comments thereon only when the contractor's overall performance rating has been rated inadequate, below standard, or superior.

(10) Performance reports, when completed at region level, will be submitted to the secretary, Attn: Manager, contractor prequalification office, not later than forty-five calendar days following final completion of the project.

(11) The region administrator or designated assistant shall review the appeal and provide a written response to the contractor by certified mail (return receipt requested) within twenty calendar days of its receipt. A copy of the appeal and the response thereto will be forwarded to the secretary, Attn: Contract advertisements and award office.

(12) The contractor may further appeal to the secretary in writing setting forth the specific basis for the appeal. The contractor's appeal shall be made within ten calendar days of the date of receipt of the region administrator's response. When making an appeal, the contractor may also present information in person. The secretary will consider the appeal and respond to it by certified mail within sixty calendar days of its receipt. This determination shall be the final administrative act of the department.

(13) All prime contractor performance reports shall be reviewed by the office of the secretary for completeness, objectivity, and substantiation of numerical ratings. The secretary may modify the report as deemed appropriate as a result of the review. The rated contractor and region administrator shall be given a copy of the modified report. The contractor may appeal the modified report in the manner and within the time allotted in subsection (12) of this section to which the secretary shall respond as cited therein.

(14) A prime contractor performance report shall be considered a preliminary paper until all reviews and appeals have been accomplished and it shall have been stamped and initialed as having been "filed in the office of the secretary."

(15) DOT Form 421-010 is authorized.