Nevada § 338.143 - Advertising for bids and compliance with certain provisions required for commencement of certain public works; quarterly reports of awarded contracts by authorized representatives; availability of plans and specifications for public inspection; award of contract to lowest responsive and responsible bidder; rejection of bids; authority to award contract without competitive bidding if no bids received in response to advertisement for bids in certain circumstances; requirements before local government may commence public work itself; exemptions

Full text of Nevada Nevada Revised Statutes § 338.143 — Advertising for bids and compliance with certain provisions required for commencement of certain public works; quarterly reports of awarded contracts by authorized representatives; availability of plans and specifications for public inspection; award of contract to lowest responsive and responsible bidder; rejection of bids; authority to award contract without competitive bidding if no bids received in response to advertisement for bids in certain circumstances; requirements before local government may commence public work itself; exemptions, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 338.143. Advertising for bids and compliance with certain provisions required for commencement of certain public works; quarterly reports of awarded contracts by authorized representatives; availability of plans and specifications for public inspection; award of contract to lowest responsive and responsible bidder; rejection of bids; authority to award contract without competitive bidding if no bids received in response to advertisement for bids in certain circumstances; requirements before local government may commence public work itself; exemptions

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 8, a local government or its authorized

representative that awards a contract for a public work in accordance with paragraph

(b) of subsection 1 of NRS 338.1373 shall not: (a) Commence a public work for which the estimated cost exceeds $100,000 unless it

advertises in a newspaper qualified pursuant to chapter 238 of NRS that is published in the county where the public work will be performed for bids

for the public work. If no qualified newspaper is published within the county where the public work will

be performed, the required advertisement must be published in some qualified newspaper

that is printed in the State of Nevada and has a general circulation within the county. (b) Commence a public work for which the estimated cost is $100,000 or less unless

it complies with the provisions of NRS 338.1442 , 338.1444 or 338.1446 . (c) Divide a public work into separate portions to avoid the requirements of paragraph

(a) or (b). 2. At least once each quarter, the authorized representative of a local government

shall report to the governing body any contract that the authorized representative

awarded pursuant to subsection 1 in the immediately preceding quarter. 3. Approved plans and specifications for the bids must be on file at a place and time

stated in the advertisement for the inspection of all persons desiring to bid thereon

and for other interested persons. Contracts for the public work must be awarded on the basis of bids received. 4. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5 and NRS 338.147 , the local government or its authorized representative shall award a contract to

the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. 5. Any bids received in response to an advertisement for bids may be rejected if the

local government or its authorized representative responsible for awarding the contract

determines that: (a) The bidder is not responsive or responsible; (b) The quality of the services, materials, equipment or labor offered does not conform

to the approved plans or specifications; or (c) The public interest would be served by such a rejection. 6. A local government may let a contract without competitive bidding if no bids were

received in response to an advertisement for bids and: (a) The local government publishes a notice stating that no bids were received and

that the contract may be let without further bidding; (b) The local government considers any bid submitted in response to the notice published

pursuant to paragraph (a); (c) The local government lets the contract not less than 7 days after publishing a

notice pursuant to paragraph (a); and (d) The contract is awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. 7. Before a local government may commence the performance of a public work itself

pursuant to the provisions of this section, based upon a determination that the public

interest would be served by rejecting any bids received in response to an advertisement

for bids, the local government shall prepare and make available for public inspection

a written statement containing: (a) A list of all persons, including supervisors, whom the local government intends

to assign to the public work, together with their classifications and an estimate

of the direct and indirect costs of their labor; (b) A list of all equipment that the local government intends to use on the public

work, together with an estimate of the number of hours each item of equipment will

be used and the hourly cost to use each item of equipment; (c) An estimate of the cost of administrative support for the persons assigned to

the public work; (d) An estimate of the total cost of the public work, including the fair market value

of or, if known, the actual cost of all materials, supplies, labor and equipment to

be used for the public work; and (e) An estimate of the amount of money the local government expects to save by rejecting

the bids and performing the public work itself. 8. This section does not apply to: (a) Any utility subject to the provisions of chapter 318 or 710 of NRS ; (b) Any work of construction, reconstruction, improvement and maintenance of highways

subject to NRS 408.323 or 408.327 ; (c) Normal maintenance of the property of a school district; (d) The Las Vegas Valley Water District created pursuant to chapter 167, Statutes

of Nevada 1947, the Moapa Valley Water District created pursuant to chapter 477, Statutes

of Nevada 1983 or the Virgin Valley Water District created pursuant to chapter 100,

Statutes of Nevada 1993; (e) The design and construction of a public work for which a public body contracts

with a design-build team pursuant to NRS 338.1711 to 338.1727 , inclusive; (f) A constructability review of a public work, which review a local government or

its authorized representative is required to perform pursuant to NRS 338.1435 ; or (g) The preconstruction or construction of a public work for which a public body enters

into a contract with a construction manager at risk pursuant to NRS 338.1685 to 338.16995 , inclusive.

Source: official Nevada text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Nevada § 338.143

What does Nevada Revised Statutes § 338.143 cover?

Section 338.143 ("Advertising for bids and compliance with certain provisions required for commencement of certain public works; quarterly reports of awarded contracts by authorized representatives; availability of plans and specifications for public inspection; award of contract to lowest responsive and responsible bidder; rejection of bids; authority to award contract without competitive bidding if no bids received in response to advertisement for bids in certain circumstances; requirements before local government may commence public work itself; exemptions") is part of the Nevada Revised Statutes, the codified statutory law of Nevada. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

How do I cite Nevada § 338.143?

A common citation format is "Nevada Revised Statutes § 338.143" (Nevada). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.

Is this the official text of Nevada law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Nevada official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Nevada attorney.

How does Nevada § 338.143 apply to my situation?

Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Nevada can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.

Sources & Verification

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in Nevada.