SB450 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Public authorities, contracts for public works, sealed bids, error in publication does not prevent contract from being bid if authority shows proof of submission of advertisement, Sec. 39-2-2 am'd.

Summary

SB450 would allow awarding authorities to let public works contracts of $50,000 or less even if the newspaper did not publish the bid advertisement for one or more weeks, as long as they can prove they submitted the advertisement.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, it adds a new allowance under Section 39-2-2 for contracts ≤ $50,000 to be let even if the newspaper that received the sealed bid ad did not publish it for one or more weeks, provided the authority can show proof that it submitted the advertisement. This applies only to small contracts and does not alter the bidding rules for larger projects; the authority must rely on submission proof rather than publication in those cases.

Who It Affects

• Awarding authorities (state, counties, municipalities, and instrumentalities) would have a new option to let small public works contracts even if the newspaper failed to publish the advertisement, as long as they can prove submission.
• Contractors and bidders for small public works projects (≤ $50,000) could be affected because the contract could proceed even if ad publication was delayed or not published, provided proof of submission exists.

Key Provisions

• Allows awarding authorities to let a public works contract valued at $50,000 or less even if the newspaper did not publish the bid advertisement for one or more weeks, as long as the authority can prove it submitted the advertisement to the newspaper.
• Requires proof of advertisement submission to the newspaper to use this exception, and notes that the change applies only to contracts of $50,000 or less (larger contracts follow existing bidding rules).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Authorities