2010 Tennessee Code
Title 12 - Public Property, Printing And Contracts
Chapter 4 - Public Contracts
Part 2 - Surety Bonds
12-4-201 - Contractors bonds Securities or cash in lieu of bonds.

12-4-201. Contractors bonds Securities or cash in lieu of bonds.

(a)  No contract shall be let for any public work in this state, by any city, county or state authority, until the contractor shall have first executed a good and solvent bond to the effect that the contractor will pay for all the labor and materials used by the contractor, or any immediate or remote subcontractor under the contractor, in such contract, in lawful money of the United States. The bond to be so given shall be for twenty-five percent (25%) of the contract price on all contracts in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000). Where advertisement is made, the condition of the bond shall be stated in the advertisement; provided, that §§ 12-4-201 12-4-206 shall not apply to contracts of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or less.

(b)  (1)  No contract let for any public work in this state, by any city, county or state authority, shall require a contractor or subcontractor to obtain any bond including, but not limited to, payment bonds, performance bonds and bid bonds, from a particular surety, agent, broker or producer.

     (2)  No public officer, whose duty it is to let or award contracts, shall require a contractor or subcontractor to obtain any bond, including, but not limited to, payment bonds, performance bonds and bid bonds, from a particular surety, agent, broker or producer.

     (3)  This subsection (b) shall not preclude a city, county, or state authority from requiring that a contractor or subcontractor obtain a bond, including payment bonds, performance bonds and bid bonds, from a properly licensed surety, agent, broker or producer.

(c)  In lieu of the bond required by subsection (a), the following securities or cash may be substituted at the percentage rate required for such bond:

     (1)  United States treasury bonds, United States treasury notes and United States treasury bills;

     (2)  General obligation bonds of the state of Tennessee;

     (3)  Certificates of deposit or evidence of other deposits irrevocably pledged from:

          (A)  A state or national bank having its principal office in Tennessee;

          (B)  A state or federal savings and loan association having its principal office in Tennessee;

          (C)  Any state or national bank, that has its principal office located outside this state and that maintains one (1) or more branches in this state which are authorized to accept federally insured deposits; or

          (D)  Any state or federal savings and loan association that has its principal office located outside this state and that maintains one (1) or more branches in this state which are authorized to accept federally insured deposits;

     (4)  A letter of credit from a state or national bank or state or federal savings and loan association having its principal office in Tennessee; or any state or national bank or state or federal savings and loan association that has its principal office outside this state and that maintains one (1) or more branches in this state which are authorized to accept federally insured deposits. The terms and conditions of any letter of credit shall be subject to the approval of the public official named in the contract. The form of such letter of credit shall be provided by the bank or savings and loan association and may be based on either the Uniform Commercial Code, Tennessee Code Annotated, title 47, chapter 5, or the ICC Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP 500). All letters of credit shall be accompanied by an authorization of the contractor to deliver retained funds to the bank issuing the letter; or

     (5)  Cash; provided, that, where cash is posted, the contracting authority shall pay to the contractor interest at the same rate that interest is paid on funds invested in a local government investment pool established pursuant to § 9-4-704, for the contract period.

[Acts 1925, ch. 121, § 1; Shan. Supp., § 3546a4; mod. Code 1932, § 7955; Acts 1977, ch. 188, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 12-417; Acts 1985, ch. 151, § 1; 1986, ch. 551, § 8; 1989, ch. 84, § 1; 1997, ch. 402, § 13; 2003, ch. 82, § 1; 2004, ch. 518, § 1.]