Any notice inviting sealed bids shall state generally the work to be done, or the material to be purchased and shall call for proposals for furnishing it, to be sealed and filed with the commission on or before the time named therein. Utilities with a purchasing department are authorized to receive hard copy or electronic bids. Each bid shall be accompanied by a certified or cashier's check, payable to the order of the commission, for a sum not less than five percent of the amount of the bid, or accompanied by a bid bond in an amount not less than five percent of the bid with a corporate surety licensed to do business in the state, conditioned that the bidder will pay the district as liquidated damages the amount specified in the bond unless he or she enters into a contract in accordance with his or her bid and furnishes the performance bond within ten days from the date on which he or she is notified that he or she is the successful bidder. A low bidder who claims error and fails to enter into a contract is prohibited from bidding on the same project if a second or subsequent call for bids is made for the project.
At the time and place named, the bids shall be publicly opened and read, and the commission shall canvass the bids, and may let the contract to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder upon the plans and specifications on file, or to the best bidder submitting his or her own plans or specifications; or if the contract to be let is to construct or improve electrical facilities, the contract may be let to the lowest bidder prequalified according to the provisions of RCW
54.04.085 upon the plans and specifications on file, or to the best bidder submitting his or her own plans and specifications: PROVIDED, That no contract shall be let for more than 25 percent in excess of the estimated cost of the materials or work. The commission may reject all bids and readvertise, and in such case all checks shall be returned to the bidders. The commission may procure materials in the open market, have its own personnel perform the work or negotiate a contract for such work to be performed by others, in lieu of readvertising, if it receives no bid. If the contract is let, all checks shall be returned to the bidders, except that of the successful bidder, which shall be retained until a contract is entered into and a bond to perform the work furnished, with sureties satisfactory to the commission, in an amount to be fixed by the commission, not less than 25 percent of the contract price, in accordance with the bid. If the bidder fails to enter into the contract and furnish the bond within ten days from the date at which he or she is notified that he or she is the successful bidder, his or her check and the amount thereof shall be forfeited to the district.
The commission shall, by resolution, define the term "same kind of materials, equipment, and supplies" with respect to purchase of items under the provisions of RCW
54.04.070.
The term "construction or improvement of any electrical facility" as used in this section and in RCW
54.04.085, shall mean the construction, the moving, maintenance, modification, or enlargement of facilities primarily used or to be used for the transmission or distribution of electricity at voltages above seven hundred fifty volts, including structures directly supporting transmission or distribution conductors but not including site preparation, housing, or protective fencing associated with but not included in a contract for such construction, moving, modification, maintenance, or enlargement of such facilities.
The commission shall be the final authority with regard to whether a bid is responsive to the call for bids and as to whether a bidder is a responsible bidder under the conditions of his or her bid. No award of contract shall be invalidated solely because of the failure of any prospective bidder to receive an invitation to bid.
