Sec. 1. (a) Whenever a bridge, culvert, roadway, or any other physical property of the state highway system has been damaged to the extent that it is not usable by the traveling public or is unsafe for use, and by order of the governor or the commissioner it is determined that an emergency exists, the department shall proceed with due diligence to reopen the highway to traffic and make it safe for the traveling public. For this purpose, the department may proceed without advertising for bids if the department invites three (3) or more persons prequalified to perform the work required to be done to submit a bid within the time specified by the department for that work. Each of the three (3) prequalified persons shall be given an equal amount of time to prepare and submit a bid for the work.
(b) The department must keep records of:
(1) the names of those persons invited to bid; and
(2) the details of bids submitted;
in accordance with the department's usual contracting procedures.
(c) The department may then award an emergency contract under this section to the lowest responsive bidder.
As added by P.L.18-1990, SEC.220. Amended by P.L.16-2020, SEC.1.