Rhode Island § 37-16-3 - Public Works Arbitration

§ 37-16-3. Application to subcontracts.

When a contract described in § 37-16-2 is in effect and any party thereto has entered into a subcontract to perform part of the work and/or furnish any materials in connection with the work described in the contract and the terms of the subcontract provide for arbitration of a dispute or claim concerning the performance or interpretation thereof, or the subcontract, expressly or by reference to the terms of the contract, provides that the parties to the subcontract shall comply with the arbitration provisions of the contract, the following shall apply when a request is made or an order of court is entered for arbitration either under the terms of the contract or subcontract.

(1) When arbitration under the contract may adversely affect the interest of a party thereto because of the effect of an award of the arbitrator or arbitrators upon the performance or interpretation of the terms of a subcontract to which he or she is also a party, he or she may require any other party or all other parties to the subcontract to become a party or parties to the arbitration.

(2) When a party to a subcontract makes a demand or an order of court is entered for arbitration under the terms of the subcontract which comply with the provision of this chapter, any party thereto who is also a party to the contract and whose rights under the contract may be adversely affected by the effect of an award of the arbitrator or arbitrators upon the performance or interpretation of the contract may require any other party to the contract to become a party to the arbitration.

(3) When a party to a contract or to a subcontract is made a party to arbitration by virtue of the provisions of this section, he or she shall have all the rights of a party to arbitration as provided in this chapter except the appointment of an arbitrator. Provided, however, he or she may object to the arbitrators appointed by the parties in which event a single arbitrator shall be appointed as provided in § 37-16-2 in the petition of either of the original parties to arbitration. The award of the arbitrator or arbitrators shall be valid and shall be binding on him or her to the extent that it affects the performance or interpretation of the contract and/or subcontract to which he or she is a party. The award of the arbitrator or arbitrators may be enforced, modified, or vacated as this chapter provides an award made in an arbitration of a contract described in § 37-16-2 may be enforced, modified, or vacated.