Oklahoma Code § 61-103

Title 61. Public Buildings And Public Works: Governing law - Solicitation and award of contracts
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A.  Unless otherwise provided by law, all public construction
contracts exceeding One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) or
construction management trade contracts or subcontracts exceeding
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) shall be let and awarded to the
lowest responsible bidder, by open competitive bidding after
solicitation for sealed bids, in accordance with the provisions of
the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974.  No work shall be
commenced until a written contract is executed and all required
bonds and insurance have been provided by the contractor to the
awarding public agency.
B.  Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, in awarding
public construction contracts exceeding One Hundred Thousand Dollars
($100,000.00) or construction management trade contracts or
subcontracts exceeding Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00),
counties, cities, other local units of government and any public
trust with a county or a municipality as its sole beneficiary shall
provide for a local bid preference of not more than five percent
(5%).  Provided, however, the local bidder or contractor must agree
to perform the contract for the same price and terms as the bid
proposed by the nonlocal bidder or contractor.  Provided further, no
local bid preference shall be granted unless the local bidding
entity is the second lowest qualified bid on the contract.  The bid
specifications shall clearly state that the bid is subject to a
local bidder preference law.  For purposes of this section, “local
bid” means the bidding person is authorized to transact business in
this state and maintains a bona fide establishment for transacting

such business within this state.  This provision does not apply to
any construction contract for which federal funds are available for
expenditure when its provisions may be in conflict with federal law
or regulation.
C.  Except as provided in subsection E of this section, other
construction contracts for the purpose of making any public
improvements or constructing any public building or making repairs
to the same for One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) or less
shall be let and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder by receipt
of written bids or awarded on the basis of competitive quotes to the
lowest responsible qualified contractor.  Work may be commenced in
accordance with the purchasing policies of the public agency.
D.  Except as provided in subsection E of this section, other
construction contracts for less than Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000.00) may be negotiated with a qualified contractor.  Work
may be commenced in accordance with the purchasing policies of the
public agency.
E.  The provisions of this subsection shall apply to public
construction for minor maintenance or minor repair work to public
school district property.  Other construction contracts for less
than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) may be negotiated
with a qualified contractor.  Construction contracts equal to or
greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) but less than One
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) shall be let and awarded to
the lowest responsible bidder by receipt of written bids.  No work
shall be commenced on any construction contract until a written
contract is executed and proof of insurance has been provided by the
contractor to the awarding public agency.
F.  The Construction and Properties Division of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services may award contracts using best
value competitive proposals.  As used in this subsection, “best
value” means an optional contract award system which can evaluate
and rank submitted competitive performance proposals to identify the
proposal with the greatest value to the state.  The Office of
Management and Enterprise Services, pursuant to the Administrative
Procedures Act, shall promulgate rules necessary to implement the
provisions of this subsection.
G.  1.  A public agency shall not let or award a public
construction contract exceeding One Hundred Thousand Dollars
($100,000.00) or a construction management trade contract or
subcontract exceeding Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) to any
contractor affiliated with a purchasing cooperative unless the
purchasing cooperative and the contractor have complied with all of
the provisions of the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974,
including, but not limited to, open competitive bidding after
solicitation for sealed bids.  A public agency shall not let or
award a public construction contract exceeding Ten Thousand Dollars

($10,000.00) up to One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) to any
contractor affiliated with a purchasing cooperative unless the
purchasing cooperative and the contractor have complied with all of
the provisions of the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974,
including submission of a written bid upon notice of competitive
bidding.
2.  A purchasing cooperative and its affiliated contractors
shall not be allowed to bid on any public construction contract
exceeding One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) or any
construction management trade contract or subcontract exceeding
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) unless the purchasing
cooperative and its affiliated contractors have complied with all of
the provisions of the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974,
including, but not limited to, open competitive bidding after
solicitation for sealed bids.  A purchasing cooperative and its
affiliated contractors shall not be allowed to bid on any public
construction contract exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00)
unless the purchasing cooperative and its affiliated contractors
have complied with all of the provisions of the Public Competitive
Bidding Act of 1974, including submission of a written bid upon
notice of open competitive bidding.
3.  Local governmental units, or local governmental units
cooperating under the terms of any interlocal cooperative agreement
authorized by state law, may create a purchasing cooperative or
contract with a purchasing cooperative to provide leverage in
achieving best value or the best terms in contracts.  To encourage
intergovernmental collaboration, any purchasing cooperative or
interlocal cooperative entity may utilize any single legal newspaper
of this state to serve as sufficient compliance for bid notice
requirements of competitive bidding or solicitation of bids.  If the
purchasing cooperative or interlocal cooperative entity is engaging
in a project exclusive to a county or group of counties of this
state, and not open to all governmental units or public trusts that
wish to participate statewide, the bid notice shall be published in
a legal newspaper located within the county or group of counties.
Any local governmental unit or public trust that enters into
membership or contracts with a purchasing cooperative or interlocal
cooperative entity may enter into purchases or contracts under the
terms negotiated by the purchasing cooperative or interlocal
cooperative entity.  If the purchasing cooperative or interlocal
cooperative entity complies with the requirements of this section of
law, all local governmental units shall be deemed in compliance with
the requirements set forth for bid notices and publication.
Added by Laws 1974, c. 298, § 3, operative Aug. 1, 1974.  Amended by
Laws 1975, c. 266, § 2, emerg. eff. June 5, 1975; Laws 2001, c. 298,
§ 2, emerg. eff. May 31, 2001; Laws 2006, c. 271, § 15, eff. July 1,
2006; Laws 2010, c. 98, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2010; Laws 2011, c. 362, §

1, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 312; Laws 2013, c. 186, §
2, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2019, c. 405, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2019;

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