ACT 550. PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION BOND ACT

550/1. Bond required--Provisions required in bond

§ 1. All officials, boards, commissions or agents of this State, or of any political subdivision thereof in making contracts for public work of any kind to be performed for the State, or a political subdivision thereof shall require every contractor for such work to furnish, supply and deliver a bond to the State, or to the political subdivision thereof entering into such contract, as the case may be, with good and sufficient sureties. The amount of such bond shall be fixed by such officials, boards, commissions, commissioners or agents, and such bond, among other conditions, shall be conditioned for the completion of the contract, for the payment of material used in such work and for all labor performed in such work, whether by subcontractor or otherwise.

Each such bond is deemed to contain the following provisions whether such provisions are inserted in such bond or not:

"The principal and sureties on this bond agree that all the Undertakings, covenants, terms, conditions and agreements of the contract or contracts entered into between the principal and the State or any political subdivision thereof will be performed and fulfilled and to pay all persons, firms and corporations having contracts with the principal or with subcontractors, all just claims due them under the provisions of such contracts for labor performed or materials furnished in the performance of the contract on account of which this bond is given, when such claims are not satisfied out of the contract price of the contract on account of which this bond is given, after final settlement between the officer, board, commission or agent of the State or of any political subdivision thereof and the principal has been made."

The bond required by this Section may be acquired from the company, agent or broker of the contractor's choice. The bond and sureties shall be subject to the right of reasonable approval or disapproval, including suspension, by the State or political subdivision thereof concerned.

When other than motor fuel tax funds, federal-aid funds, or other funds received from the State are used, a political subdivision may allow the contractor to provide a non-diminishing irrevocable bank letter of credit, in lieu of the bond required by this Section, on contracts under $100,000 to comply with the requirements of this Section. Any such bank letter of credit shall contain all provisions required for bonds by this Section.

550/2. Recovery on bond or letter of credit-Notice of claim-Limitation

§ 2. Every person furnishing material or performing labor, either as an individual or as a sub-contractor for any contractor, with the State, or a political subdivision thereof where bond or letter of credit shall be executed as provided.  in this Act, shall have the right to sue on such bond or letter of credit in the name of the State, or the political subdivision thereof entering into such contract, as the case may be, for his use and benefit, and in such suit the plaintiff shall file a copy of such bond or letter of credit, certified by the party or parties in whose charge such bond or letter of credit shall be, which copy shall, unless execution thereof he denied under oath, be prima facie evidence of the execution and delivery of the original; provided, however, that this Act shall not he taken to in any way make the State, or the political subdivision thereof entering into such contract, as the case may be, liable to such sub-contractor, materialman or laborer to any greater extent than it was liable under the law as it stood before the adoption of this Act Provided, however, that any person having a claim for labor, and material as aforesaid shall have no such right of action unless he shall have filed u verified notice of said claim with the officer, board, bureau or department awarding the contract, within 180 days after the date of the last item of work or the furnishing of the last item of materials, and shall have furnished a copy of such verified notice to the contractor within l0 days of the filing of the notice with the agency awarding the contract.

The claim shall be verified and shall contain (1) the name and address of the claimant; the business address of the claimant within this State and if the claimant shall be a foreign corporation having no place of business within the State, the notice shall state the principal place of business of said corporation and in the case of a partnership, the notice shall state the names and residences of each of the partners; (2) the name of the contractor for the govern. ; (3) the name of the person, firm or corporation by whom the claimant was employed or to whom he or it furnished materials; (4) the amount of the claim; (5) a brief description of the public improvement sufficient for identification.

No defect in the notice herein provided for shall deprive the claimant of his right of action under this article unless it shall affirmatively appear that such defect has prejudiced the rights of an interested party asserting the same.

Provided, further, that no action shall he brought until the expiration of 120 days after the date of the last item of work or the furnishing of the last item of materials, except in cases where the final settlement between the officer, board, bureau or department of municipal corporation and the contractor" shall have been made prior to the expiration of the 120 day period, in which case action may be taken immediately following such final settlement; nor shall any action of any kind be brought later then 6 months after the acceptance by the State or political subdivision thereof of the building project or work. Such action shall be brought only in the circuit court of this State in the judicial circuit in which the contract is to be performed.