2005 Oregon Code - Chapter 279c :: Chapter 279C - Public Contracting - Public Improvements and Related Contracts

      (2) A dispute between a contractor and first-tier subcontractor relating to the amount or entitlement of a first-tier subcontractor to a payment or a late payment interest penalty under a clause included in the subcontract under subsection (3) or (4) of this section does not constitute a dispute to which the contracting agency is a party. The contracting agency may not be included as a party in any administrative or judicial proceeding involving such a dispute.

      (3) Each public improvement contract awarded by a contracting agency shall include a clause that requires the contractor to include in each subcontract for property or services entered into by the contractor and a first-tier subcontractor, including a material supplier, for the purpose of performing a construction contract:

      (a) A payment clause that obligates the contractor to pay the first-tier subcontractor for satisfactory performance under its subcontract within 10 days out of such amounts as are paid to the contractor by the contracting agency under the contract; and

      (b) An interest penalty clause that obligates the contractor, if payment is not made within 30 days after receipt of payment from the contracting agency, to pay to the first-tier subcontractor an interest penalty on amounts due in the case of each payment not made in accordance with the payment clause included in the subcontract under paragraph (a) of this subsection. A contractor or first-tier subcontractor may not be obligated to pay an interest penalty if the only reason that the contractor or first-tier subcontractor did not make payment when payment was due is that the contractor or first-tier subcontractor did not receive payment from the contracting agency or contractor when payment was due. The interest penalty shall be:

      (A) For the period beginning on the day after the required payment date and ending on the date on which payment of the amount due is made; and

      (B) Computed at the rate specified in ORS 279C.515 (2).

      (4) The contract awarded by the contracting agency shall require the contractor to include in each of the contractor’s subcontracts, for the purpose of performance of such contract condition, a provision requiring the first-tier subcontractor to include a payment clause and an interest penalty clause conforming to the standards of subsection (3) of this section in each of the first-tier subcontractor’s subcontracts and to require each of the first-tier subcontractor’s subcontractors to include such clauses in their subcontracts with each lower-tier subcontractor or supplier.

      (5)(a) The clauses required by subsections (3) and (4) of this section are not intended to impair the right of a contractor or a subcontractor at any tier to negotiate, and to include in the subcontract, provisions that:

      (A) Permit the contractor or a subcontractor to retain, in the event of a good faith dispute, an amount not to exceed 150 percent of the amount in dispute from the amount due a subcontractor under the subcontract without incurring any obligation to pay a late payment interest penalty, in accordance with terms and conditions agreed to by the parties to the subcontract, giving such recognition as the parties consider appropriate to the ability of a subcontractor to furnish a performance bond and a payment bond;

      (B) Permit the contractor or subcontractor to make a determination that part or all of the subcontractor’s request for payment may be withheld in accordance with the subcontract agreement; and

      (C) Permit such withholdings without incurring any obligation to pay a late payment interest penalty if:

      (i) A notice conforming to the standards of subsection (8) of this section has been previously furnished to the subcontractor; and

      (ii) A copy of any notice issued by a contractor under sub-subparagraph (i) of this subparagraph has been furnished to the contracting agency.

      (b) As used in this subsection, “good faith dispute” means a documented dispute concerning:

      (A) Unsatisfactory job progress.

      (B) Defective work not remedied.

      (C) Third-party claims filed or reasonable evidence that claims will be filed.

      (D) Failure to make timely payments for labor, equipment and materials.

      (E) Damage to the prime contractor or subcontractor.

      (F) Reasonable evidence that the subcontract cannot be completed for the unpaid balance of the subcontract sum.

      (6) If, after making application to a contracting agency for payment under a contract but before making a payment to a subcontractor for the subcontractor’s performance covered by such application, a contractor discovers that all or a portion of the payment otherwise due the subcontractor is subject to withholding from the subcontractor in accordance with the subcontract agreement, the contractor shall:

      (a) Furnish to the subcontractor a notice conforming to the standards of subsection (8) of this section as soon as practicable upon ascertaining the cause giving rise to a withholding, but prior to the due date for subcontractor payment;

      (b) Furnish to the contracting agency, as soon as practicable, a copy of the notice furnished to the subcontractor under paragraph (a) of this subsection;

      (c) Reduce the subcontractor’s progress payment by an amount not to exceed the amount specified in the notice of withholding furnished under paragraph (a) of this subsection;

      (d) Pay the subcontractor as soon as practicable after the correction of the identified subcontract performance deficiency;

      (e) Make such payment within:

      (A) Seven days after correction of the identified subcontract performance deficiency unless the funds therefor must be recovered from the contracting agency because of a reduction under paragraph (f)(A) of this subsection; or

      (B) Seven days after the contractor recovers such funds from the contracting agency;

      (f) Notify the contracting agency upon:

      (A) Reduction of the amount of any subsequent certified application for payment; or

      (B) Payment to the subcontractor of any withheld amounts of a progress payment, specifying:

      (i) The amounts of the progress payments withheld under paragraph (a) of this subsection; and

      (ii) The dates that such withholding began and ended; and

      (g) Be obligated to pay to the contracting agency an amount equal to interest on the withheld payments computed in the manner provided in ORS 279C.570 from the 11th day after receipt of the withheld amounts from the contracting agency until:

      (A) The day the identified subcontractor performance deficiency is corrected; or

      (B) The date that any subsequent payment is reduced under paragraph (f)(A) of this subsection.

      (7)(a) If a contractor, after making payment to a first-tier subcontractor, receives from a supplier or subcontractor of the first-tier subcontractor a written notice asserting a deficiency in such first-tier subcontractor’s performance under the contract for which the contractor may be ultimately liable and the contractor determines that all or a portion of future payments otherwise due such first-tier subcontractor is subject to withholding in accordance with the subcontract agreement, the contractor may, without incurring an obligation to pay a late payment interest penalty under subsection (6)(e) of this section:

      (A) Furnish to the first-tier subcontractor a notice conforming to the standards of subsection (8) of this section as soon as practicable upon making such determination; and

      (B) Withhold from the first-tier subcontractor’s next available progress payment or payments an amount not to exceed the amount specified in the notice of withholding furnished under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.

      (b) As soon as practicable, but not later than 10 days after receipt of satisfactory written notification that the identified subcontract performance deficiency has been corrected, the contractor shall pay the amount withheld under paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection to such first-tier subcontractor, or shall incur an obligation to pay a late payment interest penalty to such first-tier subcontractor computed at the rate specified in ORS 279C.570.

      (8) A written notice of any withholding shall be issued to a subcontractor, with a copy to the contracting agency of any such notice issued by a contractor, specifying:

      (a) The amount to be withheld;

      (b) The specified causes for the withholding under the terms of the subcontract; and

      (c) The remedial actions to be taken by the subcontractor in order to receive payment of the amounts withheld.

      (9) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, this section does not limit or impair any contractual, administrative or judicial remedies otherwise available to a contractor or a subcontractor in the event of a dispute involving late payment or nonpayment by a contractor or deficient performance or nonperformance by a subcontractor.

      (10) A contractor’s obligation to pay a late payment interest penalty to a subcontractor under the clause included in a subcontract under subsection (3) or (4) of this section is not intended to be an obligation of the contracting agency. A contract modification may not be made for the purpose of providing reimbursement of such late payment interest penalty. A cost reimbursement claim may not include any amount for reimbursement of such late payment interest penalty. [2003 c.794 §151; 2005 c.103 §34]

      279C.585 Authority to substitute undisclosed first-tier subcontractor; circumstances; rules. A contractor whose bid is accepted may substitute a first-tier subcontractor that was not disclosed under ORS 279C.370 by submitting the name of the new subcontractor and the reason for the substitution in writing to the contracting agency. A contractor may substitute a first-tier subcontractor under this section in the following circumstances: