5.34.920 Retainage.

City Code Section

(Amended by Ordinances 181547, 183445, 185898 and 187373, effective October 14, 2015.)

  1. A.  Retainage of 5 Percent. The amount to be retained from any given progress payment shall not exceed 5 percent of the payment. If the Contract Work is 50 percent completed and the Work is progressing satisfactorily, the City may, at its discretion, reduce or eliminate the retainage on the remaining progress payments. Any reduction or elimination of retainage shall be allowed only upon Written application of the Contractor, which application shall include Written approval of the Contractor’s surety; except that when the Contract Work is 97.5 percent completed, the City may, at its discretion and without application by the Contractor, reduce the retained amount to 100 percent of the value of the Contract Work remaining to be done. Upon receipt of a Written application by the Contractor, the City shall respond in Writing within a reasonable time.  If retainage has been reduced or eliminated, the City reserves the right in protecting its interests to reinstate at any time retainage from further progress payments.
  2. B.  Form of Retainage.  Unless the City finds in writing that accepting a bond or instrument described in 1. and 2. of this Subsection poses an extraordinary risk that is not typically associated with the bond or instrument, the City, in lieu of withholding moneys from payment, shall accept from the Contractor:
    1. 1.  Bonds, securities, or other instruments that are deposited and accepted as provided in  Subsection 5.34.920 D.1. of this rule; or
    2. 2.  A surety bond deposited as provided in Subsection 5.34.920 D. of this rule.
  3. C.  Deposit in Interest-bearing Accounts.  Upon request of the Contractor, the City shall deposit cash retainage in an interest-bearing account in a bank, savings bank, trust company, or savings association, for the benefit of the City.  Earnings on such account shall accrue to the Contractor. The City may determine the account into which the retainage is placed.
  4. D.  Alternatives to Cash Retainage. In lieu of cash retainage to be held by the City, the Contractor may select one of the following options:
    1. 1.  Deposit of bonds, securities and other instruments:
      1. a.  The Contractor may deposit bonds, securities or other instruments with the City as set forth in Section 5.34.920 or in any bank or trust company to be held for the benefit of the City.  If the City accepts the deposit, the City shall reduce the retainage in an amount equal to the value of the bonds and securities. This reduction in retainage shall be made in the progress payments made subsequent to the time the Contractor deposits the bonds and securities;
      2. b.  The value of the bonds and securities shall be determined periodically by the City, in the manner described in Subsection  5.34.920 D.1.c., and the amount retained on progress payments shall be adjusted accordingly. The bonds and securities deposited by the Contractor shall be fully assigned to the City or be payable to the City on demand and shall be of a character approved by the City Treasurer and in a form approved by the City Attorney including, but not limited to, the following:
        1. (1)  Bills, certificates, notes or bonds of the United States;
        2. (2)  Other obligations of the United States or agencies of the United States;
        3. (3)  Obligations of any corporation wholly owned by the federal government;
        4. (4)  Indebtedness of the Federal National Mortgage Association;
        5. (5)   General obligation bonds of the State of Oregon or a political subdivision of the State of Oregon; or
        6. (6)   Irrevocable letters of credit issued by an insured institution, as defined in ORS 706.008.
      3. c.  The value of bonds and securities deposited by the Contractor shall be calculated as follows:
        1. (1)  As to bonds or securities for which the “Bid” and “asked” prices are published on a regular basis in the Wall Street Journal or in the New York Times, the value shall be the average of the “Bid” and “asked” prices for the bonds or securities so published on (or most recently prior to) the date value is determined; 
        2. (2)  As to bonds or securities for which the “Bid” and “asked” prices are not published in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times, the value shall be either: the average “Bid” price for the bond or security, on the date value is determined, as established by any two nationally recognized government securities dealers (selected by the City in its sole discretion) making a market in such investments; or, the “Bid” price published by a nationally recognized pricing service;
        3. (3)  As to certificates of deposit and bankers acceptances, the value shall be the face amount thereof, plus accrued interest.
      4. d.  At the time the City determines that all requirements for the protection of the City’s interest have been fulfilled, all bonds and securities deposited as above provided shall be released to the Contractor.
    2. 2.  Execution of Escrow Agreement. The Chief Procurement Officer is authorized to execute any escrow agreement necessary to safeguard deposit of securities with the City subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.
    3. 3.  Deposit in Interest-Bearing Accounts. Upon Written request of the Contractor, the City shall deposit any amounts withheld as retainage in an interest-bearing account in a bank, savings bank, trust company or savings association for the benefit of the City. Earnings on such account shall accrue to the Contractor but the interest shall remain in the account until the City authorizes its release. The account shall be established through the City Treasurer.
  5. E.  Recovery of Costs. If the City incurs additional costs as a result of the exercise of any of the options for retainage, the City may recover such costs from the Contractor by reduction of the final payment. As Work on the Contract progresses, the City shall, upon request, inform the Contractor of all accrued costs.
  6. F.   Additional Retainage When Certified Payroll Statements not Filed.  Pursuant to ORS 279C.845(7), if a Contractor is required to file certified payroll statements and fails to do so, the City shall retain 25 percent of any amount earned by the Contractor on  a Public Works Contract until the Contractor has filed such statements with the City.  The City shall pay the Contractor the amount retained under this provision within 14 days after the Contractor files the certified statements, regardless of whether a subcontractor has filed such statements.

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