16.855(4)(4) If a bid contains an error, omission or mistake, the bidder may limit liability to the amount of the bidder’s bid guarantee by giving written notice of intent not to execute the contract to the department within 72 hours of the bid opening. The department of administration, with the approval of the attorney general, may settle and dispose of cases and issues arising under this subsection. However, if no such settlement is obtained, the bidder is not entitled to recover the bid guarantee unless the bidder proves in the circuit court for Dane County that in making the mistake, error or omission the bidder was free from negligence. 16.855(5)(5) Any or all bids may be rejected if, in the opinion of the department, it is in the best interest of the state. The reasons for rejection shall be given to the bidder or bidders in writing. 16.855(6)(6) Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the department from negotiating deductive changes in the lowest qualified bid. 16.855(7)(7) The department may issue contract change orders, if they are deemed to be in the best interests of the state. 16.855(9m)(ag)(ag) In this subsection, “bidder” includes a potential bidder. 16.855(9m)(ar)1.1. The department shall certify bidders as qualified bidders under par. (b) 1. and responsible bidders under par. (b) 2. and shall administer a registration process for all bidders submitting bids on any construction project under this section. The department shall issue, in a timely manner, a certification decision on a complete application for certification. A certification under this subdivision is valid for 2 years except the department may decertify a bidder if the department determines that the bidder no longer meets the qualifications under par. (b) and if the department follows a decertification process developed by rule that provides to the bidder notice, hearing, and a means to appeal. 16.855(9m)(ar)2.2. Notwithstanding sub. (1m) or (14) (d), the department may waive the condition of certification as a qualified bidder if the project is of such magnitude as to limit competition if the conditions under par. (b) 1. were required. 16.855(9m)(ar)3.3. The department shall consider for certification under par. (b) associations consisting of at least 2 contracting firms that are organized for the purpose of entering into a construction contract as a single entity if at least one of the contracting firms is qualified under par. (b) and if the assignment of, and provisions for the continuity of, the various responsibilities within the association are agreed upon before the contract is awarded. 16.855(9m)(b)1.1. To be certified as a qualified bidder, a bidder must meet all of the following conditions: 16.855(9m)(b)1.a.a. The bidder has completed at least one project that involved similar work to the work being bid and the project was at least 50 percent of the size or value of the division of the project being bid. If the department determines that more experience is necessary for a particular project, the department may include additional requirements in the specifications and certify bidders accordingly. 16.855(9m)(b)1.b.b. The bidder has access to all necessary equipment and the organizational capacity and technical competence necessary to perform the project work properly and expeditiously. 16.855(9m)(b)1.c.c. If the department so requires or the bidder will be considered unqualified, the bidder has submitted a sworn statement as to financial ability, equipment, and experience in construction and other information as may be necessary to determine the bidder’s competency. 16.855(9m)(b)2.2. To be certified as a responsible bidder, a bidder must meet all of the following conditions: 16.855(9m)(b)2.b.b. The bidder submits a sworn statement, upon the department’s request, that indicates that the bidder has adequate financial resources to complete the work being bid, taking into account any other work the bidder is currently under contract to complete. 16.855(9m)(b)2.c.c. The bidder is bondable for the term of the proposed contract and is able to obtain a 100 percent performance bond and a separate 100 percent payment bond. 16.855(9m)(b)2.d.d. The bidder has a record of satisfactorily completing projects. In determining this factor, the department shall consider if the bidder has completed all contracts in accordance with drawings and specifications; diligently pursued execution of the work and completed contracts according to the time schedule, taking account of extensions granted; fulfilled guarantee requirements of contracts; if the contract included an affirmative action program requirement, complied with the requirement; and, if the contract included a safety program requirement, complied with the requirement. 16.855(9m)(b)2.e.e. The bidder is not on an ineligible list that the department maintains under s. 16.705 (9) or 16.765 (9) or on a list that another agency maintains for persons who violated construction-related statutes or administrative rules. 16.855(9m)(b)2.g.g. The bidder is a legal entity and authorized to do business in Wisconsin. 16.855(9m)(b)2.h.h. The bidder has performed at least one other public project for a government entity. 16.855(9m)(b)2.i.i. The bidder can provide information, upon request, to the department on the bidder’s ownership, management, and control. 16.855(9m)(b)2.j.j. In any jurisdiction, the bidder, in the previous 10 years, has not been debarred from any government contracts and has not been found to have committed tax avoidance or evasion. 16.855(9m)(b)2.k.k. In any jurisdiction, in the previous 10 years, the bidder has not been disciplined under a professional license. 16.855(9m)(b)2.L.L. In any jurisdiction, none of the bidder’s employees and no member of the bidder’s organization has been disciplined under a professional license that is currently in use. 16.855(10)(10) When the department believes that it is in the best interests of the state to contract for certain articles or materials available from only one source, it may contract for said articles or materials without the usual statutory procedure, after a publication of a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, in the official state newspaper. 16.855(10m)(ac)(ac) In this subsection, “disabled veteran-owned business” means a business certified by the department of administration under s. 16.283 (3). 16.855(10m)(am)1.1. In awarding construction contracts the department shall attempt to ensure that 5 percent of the total amount expended in each fiscal year is awarded to contractors and subcontractors which are minority businesses, as defined under s. 16.75 (3m) (a) 4. 16.855(10m)(am)2.2. In awarding construction contracts, the department shall attempt to ensure that at least 1 percent of the total amount expended in each fiscal year is awarded to contractors and subcontractors that are disabled veteran-owned businesses. 16.855(10m)(am)3.3. The department may award any contract to a minority business or disabled veteran-owned business, or a business that is both a minority business and a disabled veteran-owned business, if the business is a qualified responsible bidder and the business submits a bid that is no more than 5 percent higher than the apparent low bid. 16.855(10m)(b)(b) Upon completion of any contract, the contractor shall report to the department any amount of the contract that was subcontracted to minority businesses or disabled veteran-owned businesses. 16.855(10m)(c)(c) The department shall maintain and annually publish data on contracts awarded to minority businesses and disabled veteran-owned businesses under this subsection and ss. 16.87 and 84.075. 16.855(10n)(b)(b) The department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the state fair park board which shall specify procedures for construction work and professional services contracts to be performed for the state fair park board under which any person who is awarded such a contract shall agree, as a condition to receiving the contract, that his or her goal shall be to ensure that at least 25 percent of the employees hired because of the contract will be minority group members and at least 5 percent of the employees hired because of the contract will be women. 16.855(10p)(10p) For each proposed construction project, the department shall ensure that the specifications require the use of recovered materials and recycled materials, as defined under s. 16.70 (11) and (12), to the extent that such use is technically and economically feasible. 16.855(10s)(a)(a) The department shall, by rule, prescribe and annually review and revise as necessary energy efficiency standards for equipment that is installed as a component of a construction project and that relates to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water heating or cooling, lighting, refrigeration, or any other function that consumes energy. The standards shall meet or exceed current applicable guidelines of the federal environmental protection agency relating to energy efficiency of the functions specified in this paragraph, guidelines that apply to the federal energy management program under 42 USC 8251 et seq., and standards established by the American society of heating, refrigerating and air-conditioning engineers. 16.855(10s)(b)(b) The department shall ensure that the specifications for any equipment that is designed for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water heating or cooling, lighting, refrigeration, or any other function that consumes energy under any construction project contract administered by the department meet applicable standards established under par. (a). If there is no standard under par. (a) applicable to the type of equipment being purchased or if the equipment meeting that standard is not reasonably available, the department shall ensure that energy consumption within a building, structure, or facility and all equipment that is purchased under each contract administered by the department maximizes energy efficiency to the extent technically and economically feasible. The department shall not determine that equipment that meets the applicable standard under par. (a) either is not reasonably available on the basis of cost alone or is not cost-effective unless the difference in the cost of the purchase and installation of the equipment that meets the standard and the equipment that would otherwise be installed is greater than the difference in the cost of operating the equipment that meets the standard and the equipment that would otherwise be installed over the anticipated life of the equipment. 16.855(11)(11) A contractor shall be liable for any damages to another contractor working on the same project caused by reason of the former’s default, act or nonperformance. 16.855(12)(12) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed so as to make contracts let under this section subject to s. 66.0901. 16.855(12m)(12m) The Board of Regents may let UW gifts and grants projects through single prime contracting. If the Board of Regents lets a UW gifts and grants project through single prime contracting, this section does not apply to the project, except for subs. (13), (14), and (14m). 16.855(13)(a)1.1. In any project under this section let under single prime contracting, the department or the Board of Regents shall identify, as provided under par. (b), the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractors who have submitted the lowest bids and who are qualified responsible bidders. A general prime contractor who is submitting a bid under sub. (14) shall include the subcontractors so identified. 16.855(13)(a)2.2. In any project under this section that is let under s. 13.48 (19), the department shall identify, as provided under par. (b), the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractors who have submitted the lowest bids and who are qualified responsible bidders. The contractor awarded a contract under s. 13.48 (19) shall contract with the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractors so identified. 16.855(13)(b)(b) For purposes of identifying subcontractors under par. (a), the department or the Board of Regents shall develop and administer an open and public bidding process. The department shall follow the requirements and procedures under sub. (2). The Board of Regents shall follow the requirements and procedures specified for the department under sub. (2) and has the power specified for the department under sub. (6). Within 48 hours of the deadline for a mechanical, electrical, or plumbing contractor to submit a bid, the department or board shall post on its Internet site the names of the bidders and the amount of each bid. No more than 5 days after the deadline, the department or board shall post on its Internet site and provide public notice of the lowest bidders who are qualified responsible bidders. The department or board shall post on its Internet site the bids, including the bid documents, identified under this paragraph as the lowest bids and they shall be open to public inspection under s. 19.35 (1). No other bids under this paragraph may be on the Internet site or open to public inspection. 16.855(14)(am)(am) Except as provided in sub. (14s) and s. 13.48 (19), the department shall let all construction projects that exceed $300,000 through single prime contracting. Beginning in fiscal year 2023-24, this amount is $600,000. The department may not request or accept any alternate bids when letting a construction project through single prime contracting. 16.855(14)(b)1.1. The state is not liable to a contractor for damage from delay caused by another contractor if the department or the Board of Regents takes reasonable action to require the delaying contractor to comply with its contract. If the state is not liable under this subdivision, the delayed contractor may bring an action for damages against the delaying contractor. 16.855(14)(b)2.2. Except as otherwise provided by law, the state is not liable for any damages to a subcontractor identified under sub. (13) (a) that enters into a contract with a general prime contractor under par. (e). 16.855(14)(bm)(bm) If the bid is being let through single prime contracting, bidders for the general prime contractor who are responsible qualified bidders shall submit their bids to the department or the Board of Regents no later than 5 days after the successful subcontractor bids become available to the public under sub. (13) (b). Within 48 hours of the deadline for a general prime contractor to submit a bid, the department or board shall post on its Internet site the tabulations of all bids that identify the names of the general prime contractors that bid and the amount of each bid and shall make the tabulations and amounts available at the department or board if they are unavailable on the Internet site. 16.855(14)(c)(c) The department or the Board of Regents shall reject any bid for the general prime contractor from a bidder who submits a bid that includes contractors other than the ones identified under sub. (13) (a). The award of a contract may not be finalized until the department or board approves the required performance bond and certificate of insurance. 16.855(14)(d)(d) Except as provided in sub. (10m) (am), the department or the Board of Regents shall award all single prime contracts to the lowest bidder who is a qualified responsible bidder that results in the lowest total construction cost for the project. 16.855(14)(e)(e) Within 30 days after the deadline under par. (bm) for bidders for the general prime contractor to submit their bids, the department or the Board of Regents shall notify the general prime contractor bidder that was awarded the contract under par. (d). The contractor who is awarded the contract shall enter into contracts with the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractors identified under par. (13) (a), shall ensure that any contract meets the requirements under sub. (14m) (a) and (b), and shall comply with the requirements under sub. (14m) (c) and (d). The department or board shall make the final bid results available on its Internet site at the time it provides the written, official notice to the successful general prime contractor bidder notifying the contractor that the contract is fully executed and that the contractor is authorized to begin work on the project. 16.855(14m)(a)(a) Any contract entered into between a general prime contractor and a subcontractor under sub. (14) (e) must contain all of the following clauses: Prompt Payment. (General prime contractor) shall pay (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) in accordance with section 16.855 (19) (b), Wisconsin stats., for work that has been satisfactorily completed and properly invoiced by (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor). A payment is timely if it is mailed, delivered, or transferred to (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) by the deadline under section 16.855 (19) (b), Wisconsin stats.
If (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) is not paid by the deadline in this contract, (general prime contractor) shall pay interest on the balance due from the eighth day after the (general prime contractor) receives payment from the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents) for the work for which payment is due and owing to (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor), at the rate specified in section 71.82, Wisconsin stats., compounded monthly.
A (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) that receives payment as provided under this contract and that subcontracts with another entity shall pay those subcontractors, and be liable for interest on late payments to those subcontractors, in the same manner as (general prime contractor) is required to pay (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) under this contract.
Insurance and Bonds. (Mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) shall not commence work under this contract until it has obtained all necessary insurance required of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) in the contract between the (general prime contractor) and the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents).
(Mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) shall provide a separate 100 percent performance bond and a separate 100 percent payment bond to the benefit of the (general prime contractor) as the sole named obligee. Original bonds shall be given to the (general prime contractor) and a copy shall be given to the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents) no later than 10 days after execution of this contract.
Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by law, (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless (general prime contractor) and its officers, directors, agents, and any others whom (general prime contractor) is required to indemnify under its contract with the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents), and the employees of any of them, from and against claims, damages, fines, penalties, losses, and expenses, including but not limited to attorney fees, arising in any way out of or resulting from the performance of the work under this contract, but only to the extent such claim, damage, fine, penalty, loss, or expense: (1) is attributable to bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death, or to injury to or destruction of property, including but not limited to loss of use resulting therefrom and is caused by the negligence, or acts or omissions, of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor), its subcontractors, any of their employees, and anyone directly or indirectly employed by them or anyone for whose acts they may be liable, or (2) as related to such claims, damages, fines, penalties, losses, and expense of or against (general prime contractor), results from or arises out of the negligence of (general prime contractor) or other fault in providing general supervision or oversight of the work of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) or (3) as related to claims, damages, fines, penalties, losses, and expense against the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents), arises out of the (department’s or board’s) status as owner of the project or project site.
In addition (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless (general prime contractor) and its officers, directors, agents, and any others (general prime contractor) is required to indemnify under its contract with the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents), and the employees of any of them, from any liability, including liability resulting from a violation of any applicable safe place act, that (general prime contractor) or the state incurs to any employee of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) or any third party where the liability arises from a derivative claim from said employee, when the liability arises out of the failure of the (general prime contractor) or the state to properly supervise, inspect, or approve the work or work area of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor), but only to the extent that the liability arises out of the acts or omissions of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor), its employees, or anyone for whom (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) may be liable, or from (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor’s) breach of its contractual responsibilities or arises out of (general prime contractor’s) negligence or other fault in providing general supervision or oversight of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor’s) work or arises out of the (Department of Administration’s or Board of Regents’) status as owner of the project or project site. In claims against (general prime contractor) or the state by an employee of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) or its subcontractors or anyone for whose acts (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) may be liable, the indemnification obligation of this paragraph is not limited by a limitation on amount or type of damage, compensation, or other benefits payable by or for the (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) or its subcontractors under workers’ compensation act.
Except as identified above, the obligations of (mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor) under this indemnification do not extend to the liability of (general prime contractor) and its agents or employees arising out of (1) preparation or approval of maps, drawings, opinions, reports, surveys, change orders, designs, or specifications; (2) the giving of or failure to give directions or instructions by the (general prime contractor) or the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents) or their agents or employees provided the giving or failure to give is the cause of the injury or damage; or (3) the acts or omissions of other subcontractors.
Retainage. Retainage shall occur and be in amounts and on a schedule equal to that in the contract between (general prime contractor) and the (Department of Administration or Board of Regents).
16.855(14m)(b)(b) A contract entered into under sub. (14) (e) between a general prime contractor and a mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor must include a scope of work clause that is identical to the scope of work clause on which the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor bid under sub. (13). 16.855(14m)(c)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a general prime contractor and a mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor may not enter any agreement other than the contract entered into under sub. (14) (e) if the agreement is in connection with bids submitted under sub. (13) or (14) that would alter or affect the scope or price of the contract entered into under sub. (13) or (14) (e). 16.855(14m)(c)2.2. The prohibition under subd. 1. does not apply to change orders by the department or the Board of Regents that result in changes to the plans or specifications or to back charges allowed by the contract under sub. (13). 16.855(14m)(d)(d) The general prime contractor shall base its project schedule on the schedule in the specifications or bid instructions under sub. (2) (a) unless otherwise agreed to by the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing subcontractor. 16.855(14s)(a)(a) The department may let any construction project that exceeds $300,000 to a single trade contractor for all work on the project if at least 85 percent of the estimated construction cost of the project is for work that involves the trade that is the primary business of the single trade contractor. Beginning in fiscal year 2023-24, this amount is $600,000. 16.855(14s)(b)(b) The department and the Board of Regents shall each develop and implement an open and public bidding process for purposes of contracting with single trade contractors who have submitted the lowest bid on a project and who are qualified responsible bidders. For purposes of this paragraph, the department and the board shall follow the requirements and procedures under sub. (2). 16.855(14s)(c)(c) Within 48 hours after the deadline for a single trade contractor to submit a bid, the department or the Board of Regents shall post on its Internet site the tabulations of all bids that identify the names of the single trade contractors that bid and the amount of each bid and shall make the tabulations and amounts available at the department or board if they are unavailable on the Internet site. 16.855(14s)(d)(d) Except as provided in sub. (10m) (am), the department or the Board of Regents shall award all contracts under this subsection to the lowest bidder who is a qualified responsible bidder that results in the lowest total construction cost for the project. 16.855(14s)(e)(e) Within 30 days after the deadline for a single trade contractor to submit a bid, the department or the Board of Regents shall notify the single trade contractor bidder that was awarded the contract. 16.855(15)(15) The department shall promulgate rules to implement the advertising and award of contracts. 16.855(16)(a)(a) This section does not apply to contracts between the state and federal government or any agency thereof, or with any political subdivision of the state. Subject to the approval of the governor, the requirements of this section may be waived in emergency situations involving the public health, welfare or safety or with respect to contracting with public utilities, but only when any such waiver is deemed by the governor to be in the best interests of the state.
