PRINTER'S NO. 2004
No. 1451 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY GERLACH, ROBBINS, MOWERY, PUNT, SALVATORE, HART
AND DELP, MAY 20, 1998
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 20, 1998
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," further providing for specifications
6 for contracts for construction or other work.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 751(a) of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
11 amended May 4, 1990 (P.L.164, No.38), is amended to read:
12 Section 751. Work to be Done Under Contract Let on Bids;
13 Exception.--(a) [All construction,] (1) All reconstruction,
14 repairs, maintenance or work of any nature, including the
15 introduction of plumbing, heating and ventilating, or lighting
16 systems, upon any school building or upon any school property,
17 or upon any building or portion of a building leased under the
18 provisions of section 703.1, made by any school district, where
19 the entire cost, value, or amount of such [construction,]
1 reconstruction, repairs, maintenance or work, including labor
2 and material, shall exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), shall
3 be done under separate contracts to be entered into by such
4 school district with the lowest responsible bidder, upon proper
5 terms, after due public notice has been given asking for
6 competitive bids.
7 (2) All construction of any school building where the cost,
8 value or amount of construction shall exceed two hundred fifty
9 thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be done under separate
10 contracts to be entered into by the school district with the
11 lowest responsible bidder, upon proper terms, after due public
12 notice has been given asking for competitive bids. The minimum
13 bid amount provided for construction in this clause shall be
14 adjusted annually be applying to it a percentage change that is
15 equal to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for
16 All Urban Consumers, United States City Average, published by
17 the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department
18 of Labor, for the preceding calendar year. The Department of
19 General Services shall publish the revised amount in the
20 Pennsylvania Bulletin.
21 (3) Whenever a board of school directors shall approve the
22 use of a prefabricated unit, complete in itself, for a school
23 building or other proper structure to be erected upon school
24 property, the board of school directors may have prepared
25 appropriate specifications detailing the size and material
26 desired in a particular prefabricated unit, including all
27 utilities such as plumbing, heating and ventilating, and
28 electrical work, and may advertise for a single bid on all the
29 work and award the contract therefor to the lowest responsible
30 bidder: Provided, That if due to an emergency a school plant or
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1 any part thereof becomes unusable competitive bids for repairs
2 or replacement may be solicited from at least three responsible
3 bidders, and upon the approval of any of these bids by the
4 Secretary of Education, the board of school directors may
5 proceed at once to make the necessary repairs or replacements in
6 accordance with the terms of said approved bid or bids.
7 * * *
8 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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