Public works or improvements — Limitations on work by public employees — Small works roster — Purchase of reused or recycled materials or products.
RCW 35.22.620
in effect(1) As used in this section, the term "public works" means as defined in RCW 39.04.010 . (2) A first-class city may have public works performed by contract pursuant to public notice and call for competitive bids. As limited by subsection (3) of this section, a first-class city may have public works performed by city employees in any annual or biennial budget period equal to a dollar value not exceeding 10 percent of the public works construction budget, including any amount in a supplemental public works construction budget, over the budget period. The amount of public works that a first-class city has a county perform for it under RCW 35.77.020 shall be included within this 10 percent limitation. If a first-class city has public works performed by public employees in any budget period that are in excess of this 10 percent limitation, the amount in excess of the permitted amount shall be reduced from the otherwise permitted amount of public works that may be performed by public employees for that city in its next budget period. Twenty percent of the motor vehicle fuel tax distributions to that city shall be withheld if two years after the year in which the excess amount of work occurred, the city has failed to so reduce the amount of public works that it has performed by public employees. The amount so withheld shall be distributed to the city when it has demonstrated in its reports to the state auditor that the amount of public works it has performed by public employees has been so reduced. Whenever a first-class city has had public works performed in any budget period up to the maximum permitted amount for that budget period, all remaining public works within that budget period shall be done by contract pursuant to public notice and call for competitive bids. The state auditor shall report to the state treasurer any first-class city that exceeds this amount and the extent to which the city has or has not reduced the amount of public works it has performed by public employees in subsequent years. (3) In addition to the percentage limitation provided in subsection (2) of this section, a first-class city shall not have public employees perform a public works project in excess of $150,000 if more than a single craft or trade is involved with the public works project, or a public works project in excess of $75,500 if only a single craft or trade is involved with the public works project or the public works project is street signalization or street lighting. A public works project means a complete project. The restrictions in this subsection do not permit the division of the project into units of work or classes of work to avoid the restriction on work that may be performed by day labor on a single project. However, a first-class city may have its own regularly employed personnel perform work which is an accepted industry practice under prudent utility management without a contract. For purposes of this section, "prudent utility management" means performing work with regularly employed personnel utilizing material of a worth not exceeding $300,000 in value without a contract. This limit on the value of material being utilized in work being performed by regularly employed personnel shall not include the value of individual items of equipment. For purposes of this section, the term "equipment" includes, but is not limited to, conductor, cabling, wire, pipe, or lines used for electrical, water, fiber optic, or telecommunications. (4) In addition to the accounting and recordkeeping requirements contained in RCW 39.04.070 , every first-class city annually may prepare a report for the state auditor indicating the total public works construction budget and supplemental public works construction budget for that year, the total construction costs of public works performed by public employees for that year, and the amount of public works that is performed by public employees above or below 10 percent of the total construction budget. However, if a city budgets on a biennial basis, this annual report may indicate the amount of public works that is performed by public employees within the current biennial period that is above or below 10 percent of the total biennial construction budget. Each first-class city with a population of 150,000 or less shall use the form required by RCW 43.09.205 to account and record costs of public works in excess of $5,000 that are not let by contract. (5) The cost of a separate public works project shall be the costs of materials, supplies, equipment, and labor on the construction of that project. The value of the public works budget shall be the value of all the separate public works projects within the budget. (6) The competitive bidding requirements of this section may be waived by the city legislative authority pursuant to RCW 39.04.280 if an exemption contained within that section applies to the work or contract. (7) In lieu of the procedures of subsections (2) and (6) of this section, a first-class city may let contracts using the small works roster process in RCW 39.04.151 through 39.04.154 . Whenever possible, the city shall invite at least one proposal from a certified minority or woman contractor who shall otherwise qualify under this section. (8) The allocation of public works projects to be performed by city employees shall not be subject to a collective bargaining agreement. (9) This section does not apply to performance-based contracts, as defined in RCW 39.35A.020 (6), that are negotiated under chapter 39.35A RCW. (10) Nothing in this section shall prohibit any first-class city from allowing for preferential purchase of products made from recycled materials or products that may be recycled or reused. (11)(a) Any first-class city may procure public works with a unit priced contract under this section for the purpose of completing anticipated types of work based on hourly rates or unit pricing for one or more categories of work or trades. (b) For the purposes of this section, "unit priced contract" means a competitively bid contract in which public works are anticipated on a recurring basis to meet the business or operational needs of the city, under which the contractor agrees to a fixed period indefinite quantity delivery of work, at a defined unit price for each category of work. (c) Unit priced contracts must be executed for an initial contract term not to exceed three years, with the city having the option of extending or renewing the unit priced contract for one additional year. (d) Invitations for unit price bids shall include, for purposes of the bid evaluation, estimated quantities of the anticipated types of work or trades, and specify how the city will issue or release work assignments, work orders, or task authorizations pursuant to a unit priced contract for projects, tasks, or other work based on the hourly rates or unit prices bid by the contractor. Contracts must be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder as per RCW 39.04.010 . Whenever possible, the city must invite at least one proposal from a certified minority or woman contractor who otherwise qualifies under this section. (e) Unit price contractors shall pay prevailing wages for all work that would otherwise be subject to the requirements of chapter 39.12 RCW. Prevailing wages for all work performed pursuant to each work order must be the prevailing wage rates in effect at the beginning date for each contract year. Unit priced contracts must have prevailing wage rates updated annually. Intents and affidavits for prevailing wages paid must be submitted annually for all work completed within the previous 12-month period of the unit priced contract. (12) For the purposes of this section, "lowest responsible bidder" means a bid that meets the criteria under RCW 39.04.350 and has the lowest bid; provided, that if the city issues a written finding that the lowest bidder has delivered a project to the city within the last three years which was late, over budget, or did not meet specifications, and the city does not find in writing that such bidder has shown how they would improve performance to be likely to meet project specifications then the city may choose the second lowest bidder whose bid is within five percent of the lowest bid and meets the same criteria as the lowest bidder.
(1) As used in this section, the term "public works" means as defined in RCW 39.04.010 .
(2) A first-class city may have public works performed by contract pursuant to public notice and call for competitive bids. As limited by subsection (3) of this section, a first-class city may have public works performed by city employees in any annual or biennial budget period equal to a dollar value not exceeding 10 percent of the public works construction budget, including any amount in a supplemental public works construction budget, over the budget period. The amount of public works that a first-class city has a county perform for it under RCW 35.77.020 shall be included within this 10 percent limitation.
If a first-class city has public works performed by public employees in any budget period that are in excess of this 10 percent limitation, the amount in excess of the permitted amount shall be reduced from the otherwise permitted amount of public works that may be performed by public employees for that city in its next budget period. Twenty percent of the motor vehicle fuel tax distributions to that city shall be withheld if two years after the year in which the excess amount of work occurred, the city has failed to so reduce the amount of public works that it has performed by public employees. The amount so withheld shall be distributed to the city when it has demonstrated in its reports to the state auditor that the amount of public works it has performed by public employees has been so reduced.
Whenever a first-class city has had public works performed in any budget period up to the maximum permitted amount for that budget period, all remaining public works within that budget period shall be done by contract pursuant to public notice and call for competitive bids.
The state auditor shall report to the state treasurer any first-class city that exceeds this amount and the extent to which the city has or has not reduced the amount of public works it has performed by public employees in subsequent years.
(3) In addition to the percentage limitation provided in subsection (2) of this section, a first-class city shall not have public employees perform a public works project in excess of $150,000 if more than a single craft or trade is involved with the public works project, or a public works project in excess of $75,500 if only a single craft or trade is involved with the public works project or the public works project is street signalization or street lighting. A public works project means a complete project. The restrictions in this subsection do not permit the division of the project into units of work or classes of work to avoid the restriction on work that may be performed by day labor on a single project. However, a first-class city may have its own regularly employed personnel perform work which is an accepted industry practice under prudent utility management without a contract. For purposes of this section, "prudent utility management" means performing work with regularly employed personnel utilizing material of a worth not exceeding $300,000 in value without a contract. This limit on the value of material being utilized in work being performed by regularly employed personnel shall not include the value of individual items of equipment. For purposes of this section, the term "equipment" includes, but is not limited to, conductor, cabling, wire, pipe, or lines used for electrical, water, fiber optic, or telecommunications.
(4) In addition to the accounting and recordkeeping requirements contained in RCW 39.04.070 , every first-class city annually may prepare a report for the state auditor indicating the total public works construction budget and supplemental public works construction budget for that year, the total construction costs of public works performed by public employees for that year, and the amount of public works that is performed by public employees above or below 10 percent of the total construction budget. However, if a city budgets on a biennial basis, this annual report may indicate the amount of public works that is performed by public employees within the current biennial period that is above or below 10 percent of the total biennial construction budget.
Each first-class city with a population of 150,000 or less shall use the form required by RCW 43.09.205 to account and record costs of public works in excess of $5,000 that are not let by contract.
(5) The cost of a separate public works project shall be the costs of materials, supplies, equipment, and labor on the construction of that project. The value of the public works budget shall be the value of all the separate public works projects within the budget.
(6) The competitive bidding requirements of this section may be waived by the city legislative authority pursuant to RCW 39.04.280 if an exemption contained within that section applies to the work or contract.
(7) In lieu of the procedures of subsections (2) and (6) of this section, a first-class city may let contracts using the small works roster process in RCW 39.04.151 through 39.04.154 .
Whenever possible, the city shall invite at least one proposal from a certified minority or woman contractor who shall otherwise qualify under this section.
(8) The allocation of public works projects to be performed by city employees shall not be subject to a collective bargaining agreement.
(9) This section does not apply to performance-based contracts, as defined in RCW 39.35A.020 (6), that are negotiated under chapter 39.35A RCW.
(10) Nothing in this section shall prohibit any first-class city from allowing for preferential purchase of products made from recycled materials or products that may be recycled or reused.
(11)(a) Any first-class city may procure public works with a unit priced contract under this section for the purpose of completing anticipated types of work based on hourly rates or unit pricing for one or more categories of work or trades.
(b) For the purposes of this section, "unit priced contract" means a competitively bid contract in which public works are anticipated on a recurring basis to meet the business or operational needs of the city, under which the contractor agrees to a fixed period indefinite quantity delivery of work, at a defined unit price for each category of work.
(c) Unit priced contracts must be executed for an initial contract term not to exceed three years, with the city having the option of extending or renewing the unit priced contract for one additional year.
(d) Invitations for unit price bids shall include, for purposes of the bid evaluation, estimated quantities of the anticipated types of work or trades, and specify how the city will issue or release work assignments, work orders, or task authorizations pursuant to a unit priced contract for projects, tasks, or other work based on the hourly rates or unit prices bid by the contractor. Contracts must be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder as per RCW 39.04.010 . Whenever possible, the city must invite at least one proposal from a certified minority or woman contractor who otherwise qualifies under this section.
(e) Unit price contractors shall pay prevailing wages for all work that would otherwise be subject to the requirements of chapter 39.12 RCW. Prevailing wages for all work performed pursuant to each work order must be the prevailing wage rates in effect at the beginning date for each contract year. Unit priced contracts must have prevailing wage rates updated annually. Intents and affidavits for prevailing wages paid must be submitted annually for all work completed within the previous 12-month period of the unit priced contract.
(12) For the purposes of this section, "lowest responsible bidder" means a bid that meets the criteria under RCW 39.04.350 and has the lowest bid; provided, that if the city issues a written finding that the lowest bidder has delivered a project to the city within the last three years which was late, over budget, or did not meet specifications, and the city does not find in writing that such bidder has shown how they would improve performance to be likely to meet project specifications then the city may choose the second lowest bidder whose bid is within five percent of the lowest bid and meets the same criteria as the lowest bidder.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=35.22&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026