1. With the approval of the Board, the Director may receive informal bids and award contracts for highway construction, reconstruction, improvements, and maintenance on projects estimated to cost not in excess of $250,000.

2. Before furnishing any person proposing to bid on any solicited work with the plans and specifications for such work, the Director shall require from the person a statement, verified under oath, in the form of answers to questions contained in a standard form of questionnaire, which must include information describing:

(a) The geographical regions of this State in which the person is willing to perform the public work;

(b) The type of license and classification, if any, held by the person; and

(c) The state business license held by the person and its expiration date.

3. Before awarding a contract pursuant to subsection 1, the Director must:

(a) If the estimated cost of the project is $50,000 or less, solicit a bid from at least one properly licensed contractor; and

(b) If the estimated cost of the project is more than $50,000 but not more than $250,000, solicit bids from at least three properly licensed contractors.

4. Any bids received in response to a solicitation for bids made pursuant to subsection 3 may be rejected if the Director determines that:

(a) The quality of the services, materials, equipment or labor offered does not conform to the approved plan or specifications;

(b) The bidder is not responsive or responsible; or

(c) The public interest would be served by such a rejection.

5. At least once each quarter, the Director shall prepare a report detailing, for each project for which a contract for its completion is awarded pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 3, if any:

(a) The name of the contractor to whom the contract was awarded;

(b) The amount of the contract awarded;

(c) A brief description of the project; and

(d) The names of all contractors from whom bids were solicited.

6. A report prepared pursuant to subsection 5 is a public record and must be maintained on file at the principal offices of the Department.

7. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 408.354, contracts awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section must be accompanied by bonds and conditioned and executed in the name of the State of Nevada, and must be signed by the Director under the seal of the Department, and by the contracting party or parties. The form and legality of those contracts must be approved by the Attorney General or Chief Counsel of the Department.

(Added to NRS by 1957, 685; A 1971, 1230; 1979, 1774; 1987, 1807; 1989, 1305; 1993, 1941; 1995, 139; 2001, 637; 2009, 905; 2013, 565)