Construction Law Toolbox : Mississippi Construction Lawyer & Attorney : Robinson Biggs Ingram Solop & Farris Law Firm : MS & Southeast Construction Law Toolbox

In March, the United States General Accountability Office ("GAO") issued its finding and recommendations concerning fraud in the 8(a) Program. 8(a) Program Report. During its investigation, GAO discovered that at least 14 ineligible firms had received $325 million in sole-source and set-aside contracts. The GAO investigation discovered evidence of an entity fraudulently reporting adjusted net worth; an entity that was merely an extension of a graduated 8(a) firm; a top executive who was not disadvantage controlling the management and operation of the certified firm; an entity that was merely a shell company for a large construction firm managed by a non-disadvantaged individual; failure on the part of the president of an entity to report ownership in significant assets to the SBA; an entity that continued to receive 8(a) contract after it graduated from the 8(a) program by using other certified firms as pass-throughs; and a president who falsely reported his annual salary to the SBA.

The GAO report contains extensive details on the 14 entitles that were investigated and recommendations to the SBA for addressing the seemingly pervasive fraud in the SBA 8(a) Program. The report makes for interesting reading. More importantly, however, it should serve as a warning to individuals and entities "gaming" the SBA’s 8(a) Program that greater scrutiny of applicants and certified firms can be expected.

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On March 17, 2010, the Governor signed into law Senate Bill No. 2370 which amends what is know as the "preference statute". Miss. Code Ann. § 31-3-21(3). The statute requires that "[w]hen a nonresident contractor submits a bid for a public project, he shall attach thereto a copy of his resident state’s current law pertaining to such state’s treatment of nonresident contractors." (Emphasis added.) The Mississippi Attorney General has opined that the failure of a nonresident contractor to include "his resident state’s current law" was not sufficient to justify rejecting the nonresident contractor’s bid as nonresponsive. This has resulted in numerous public projects being awarded to nonresident contractors that did not comply with the statute’s mandatory requirement.

Senate Bill No. 2370 clarifies the ambiguity created by the Mississippi Attorney General’s office as to the mandatory requirement of the "preference statute" and which now unequivocally states:

Any bid submitted by a nonresident contractor which does not include the nonresident contractor’s current state law shall be rejected and not considered for award.

The AGC of Mississippi was instrumental in promoting this language for the benefit of the construction industry. The amendment will be effective on public projects bid from and after July 1, 2010.

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Effective October 1, 2009, the American Arbitration Association issued amendments to the Construction Industry Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures.  The revised rules and procedures can be viewed by clicking on this link:  Construction Industry Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures.  The American Arbitration Association has also provided a Summary of Significant Changes that can be found by clicking on this link: Summary of Significant Changes.

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Effective July 1, 2009, "any document or instrument presented to the clerk of chancery court for recording" will be required to comply with the requirements set forth in Miss. Code Ann. § 89-5-24 (House Bill 475).  The detailed requirements were apparently made necessary to bring uniformity to instruments filed with the chancery court.  Although the statute identifies a number of instruments that are exempt from the new formatting requirement, construction liens are not included in this list.  Fortunately, the "[f]ailure to conform to the format standards specified…does not affect the validity or enforceability of the document or instrument".  Miss. Code Ann. § 89-5-24(5). However, you will be assessed an additional ten dollars ($10.00) for each document or instrument that does not comply.  Miss. Code Ann. § 89-5-24(4).  Click here to see a copy of the Rankin County Chancery Court’s instructions concerning these new formatting requirements and a sample form.

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If you are bidding on projects awarded through the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration, Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management ("the Bureau"), you might not be awarded the contract, even if you are the apparent low bidder.

The Bureau is very particular about with whom it does business. Effective May 18, 2009, the Bureau has expanded the grounds for disqualifying a bidder from competition. (Link to rules.) These recent changes are highlighted below.

1.04 DISQUALIFICATION OF BIDDER: A Bidder may be disqualified for any of the following reasons:

A.  Failure to comply with the bid requirements.  (This provision was in 600.53 but missing in 1.04 of the Instructions to Bidders.

B.  Bidder is in arrears on existing Contract with the Bureau or another state agency.

C.  Bidder is, or anticipates being, in litigation or arbitration with the Bureau or another state agency.

D.  Bidder has defaulted on a previous Contract.

 

BOB Manual, Instructions to Bidders, Section 00100, Part 1, General, Paragraph 1.04.

Mississippi’s Public Procurement Statute requires award to the "lowest and best bidder". However, the Mississippi Courts have recognized that the lowest bid may not necessarily be the best bid. Thus, state agencies have been afforded considerable deference when deciding which contractor has submitted the "lowest and best bid". One of the areas the Mississippi Supreme Court has recognized may be considered in the evaluation of bids is a contractor’s past performance record. However, in my opinion, the Bureau’s grounds for disqualification impermissibly expand the area of inquiry by seeking to penalize a contractor for exercising its contractual right to pursue a claim against the Bureau or another state agency with which the contractor has a contract.

The Bureau’s new grounds for disqualification gives it the authority to now reject a bid if the contractor "anticipates" being in litigation or arbitration. Hypothetically, this means that if a contractor has a contract with the Bureau or another state agency, writes a "claim" letter stating the contractor believes it has a right to an equitable adjustment in the contract price and/or time and subsequently submits a bid on another Bureau project, the contractor’s bid may be rejected because the letter could be construed as a sign the contractor "anticipates" being in litigation or arbitration with the Bureau. The Bureau may even require a certification as part of its bid requirements wherein the contractor must represent it does not anticipate being in litigation or arbitration with the Bureau or another state agency. The obvious intent of this provision is to discourage contractors from asserting claims against the Bureau or another state agency on construction projects. It appears the Bureau has made the decision that such draconian tactics are more effective then dealing with legitimate claims which the contractor has a right to assert under the Bureau’s contract documents.

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Approximately $354 million will be coming to Mississippi for highway usage as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Of that $354 million, approximately 70% will be utilized for state projects and the remaining 30% will be allocated to other projects such as small urban projects.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation ("MDOT") expects to let approximately $120 million of the recovery money for projects at its March 24^th meeting.  The remainder of the projects will be let over the period of time from April through June.

You can view on their w a complete listing of the projects which MDOT plans to let with the recovery money.

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The Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration, Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management is currently updating its BOB Construction Manual.  This is your opportunity to participate in the process.  If you want to be heard, you should email Glenn Kornbrek, the Assistant Director for the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management (KornbrG@dfa.state.ms.us).  Mr. Kornbrek’s telephone number is (601) 359-3894.

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