Award. The written acceptance by the Government of a bid. Bid.-The offer of a bidder, on prescribed forms to perform the work and to furnish the labor and materials at the price quoted.

Bid forms.-The approved forms on which the Government requires bids to be prepared and submitted for the work.

Bid guarantee.-The security furnished with a bid to guarantee that the bidder will enter into the contract if his bid is accepted.

Bid schedule. The prepared schedule included with the bid forms, containing the estimated quantities of pay items for which unit bid prices are invited.

Bidder.-An individual, partnership, firm, corporation, or any acceptable combination thereof or joint venture submitting a bid for the advertised work.

Bridge.-A structure, including supports, erected over a depression or an obstruction, as water, highway, or railway, and having a track or passageway for carrying traffic or other moving loads and having an opening measured along the center of the roadway of more than twenty feet (6.10 m) between undercopings of abutments or spring lines of arches or extreme ends of openings for multiple boxes; may include multiple pipes where the clear distance between openings is less than half of the smaller contiguous openings.

Bridge length.-The greater dimension of a structure measured along the center of the roadway between backs of abutment backwalls or between ends of bridge floor.

Bridge roadway width.-The clear width of structure measured at right angles to the center of the roadway between the bottom of curbs or, if curbs are not used, between the inner faces of bridge parapet or railing.

Calendar day. Any day shown on the calendar, beginning and ending at midnight.

Change order.-A written order issued by the Engineer to the Contractor, covering changes within the scope of the contract and establishing the bases of payment and time adjustments for the work affected by the changes.

Contract.-The written agreement between the Government and the Contractor setting forth the obligations of the parties thereunder, for the performance of the prescribed work. The contract includes all documents and Standard Forms included or referred to in the Invitation for Bids; also other documents issued subsequently to provide for completion of the work in an acceptable manner.

Contract item (pay item).—A specific unit of work for which a price is provided in the contract.

Contract payment bond.-The security furnished to the contracting agency to guarantee payment of prescribed debts of the Contractor covered by the bond.

Contract performance bond.-The security furnished to the contracting agency to guarantee completion of the work in accordance with the

contract.

Contract time. The number of working days or calendar days allowed for completion of the contract. If the specified completion date is shown in the proposal in lieu of a number of working or calendar days, the contract shall be completed by that date.

Contracting officer.-See Clause 1 of SF 23-A.

Contractor. The individual, partnership, firm, or corporation, or any acceptable combination thereof, or joint venture contracting with the Government for performance of prescribed work.

County. The county, borough, or parish in which the work herein specified is to be done.

Culvert.-Any structure under the roadway with a clear opening of 20 feet (6.10 m) or less measured along the center of the roadway.

Directive.-A written order issued by the Engineer to the Contractor requiring the work to be performed in accordance with the contract including all changes that do not involve any adjustment in the basis of payment. Directives will include orders to start, stop, and resume work and orders to perform work under any contingent item in the contract.

Engineer.-The duly authorized representative of the Contracting Officer who is delegated the responsibility for engineering supervision of the construction.

Equipment.-All machinery and equipment, together with the necessary supplies for upkeep and maintenance, and also tools and apparatus necessary for the proper construction and acceptable completion of the work.

Federal procedurements regulations.-The provisions of Chapter I, Title 41, Code of Federal Regulations.

General provisions.-The contract provisions contained in Standard Form 23A-General Provisions (Construction Contract) in effect on the date of advertisement for bids.

Government.-The Government of the United States of America. Highway, Street or Road.-A general term denoting a public way for purposes of vehicular travel, including the entire area within the right-of-way.

(Recommended Usage: in Urban areas-highway or street in Rural areas-highway or road Inspector.-The Engineer's authorized representative assigned to make detailed inspections of contract performance.

Invitation for bids. The complete assembly of related documents (whether attached or incorporated by reference) furnished prospective bidders for the purpose of bidding.

Laboratory. A testing laboratory of the Government or any other testing laboratory which may be designated by the Engineer.

Major and minor contract items. Major contract items are listed as such in the bid schedule or in the special provisions; all other contract items will be considered as minor items.

Materials. Any substances specified for use in the construction of the project and its appurtenances.

Notice to proceed.-Written notice to the Contractor to begin the contract work; includes when applicable, the date of beginning of contract time.

Pavement structure. The combinations of subbase, base course, and surface course placed on a subgrade to support the traffic load and distribute it to the roadbed;

Subgrade.-The top surface of a roadbed upon which the pavement structure and shoulders including curbs are constructed.

Subgrade treatment.—Modification of roadbed material by stabilization.

Subbase.-The layers of specified or selected material of designed thickness placed on a subgrade to support a base course. Base course.-The layer or layers of specified or selected material of designed thickness on a subbase or a subgrade to support a surface course.

Surface course.-One or more layers of a pavement structure designed to accommodate the traffic load, the top layer of which resists skidding, traffic abrasion, and the disintegrating effects of climate. The top layer sometimes called "Wearing Course." Plans.-The contract drawings which show the location, character, and dimensions of the prescribed work, including layouts, profiles, cross sections and other details.

Standard Plans.-Drawings approved for repetitive use, showing details to be used where appropriate.

Working drawings.-Supplemental design sheets or similar data which the Contractor is required to submit to the Engineer, such as stress sheets, shop drawings, erection plans, falsework plans, framework plans, cofferdam plans and bending diagrams for reinforcing steel.

Presplitting.The method of controlled blasting by which a fracture plane is created in rock which prevents the resulting rock face from being adversely affected by subsequent blasting and excavation operations.

Profile grade.-The trace of a vertical plane intersecting the top surface of the proposed road construction, usually along the longitudinal centerline of the roadbed. Profile grade means either elevation or gradient of such trace according to the context.

Questionnaire.-The specified form on which a bidder shall furnish required information as to his ability to perform and finance the work. Reasonably close conformity.-Reasonably close conformity means compliance with reasonable and customary manufacturing and construction tolerances where working tolerances are not specified. Where working tolerances are specified, reasonably close conformity means compliance with such working tolerances. Without detracting from the complete and absolute discretion of the Engineer to insist upon such tolerances as establishing reasonably close conformity, the Engineer may accept variations beyond such tolerances as reasonably close con

formity where they will not materially affect the value or utility of the work and the interests of the Government.

Right-of-way.—A general term denoting land, property, or interest therein, usually in a strip, acquired for or devoted to transportation purposes.

Roadbed. The graded portion of a highway within top and side slopes, prepared as a foundation for the pavement structure and shoulders.

Roadside.-A general term denoting the area adjoining the outer edge of the roadway. Extensive areas between the roadways of a divided highway may also be considered roadside.

Roadside development.-Those items necessary to the complete highway which provide for the preservation of landscape materials and features; the rehabilitation and protection against erosion of all areas disturbed by construction through seeding, sodding, mulching and the placing of other ground covers; such suitable planting and other improvements as may increase the effectiveness and enhance the appearance of the highway.

Roadway. The portion of a highway within limits of construction. Shoulder.-The portion of the roadway contiguous with the traveled way for accommodation of stopped vehicles, for emergency use, and for lateral support of base and surface courses.

Sidewalk. That portion of the roadway primarily constructed for the use of pedestrians.

Special provisions.—Additions and revisions to the standard and supplemental specifications applicable to an individual project.

Specialty items.-Pay items designated in the bid schedule as specialty items; usually minor items requiring equipment and crafts not ordinarily associated with the major types of work covered by the contract.

Specifications.-The compilation of provisions and requirements for the performance of prescribed work.

Standard Specifications.-This book of specifications approved for general application and repetitive use.

Supplemental Specifications-Approved additions and revisions to the Standard Specifications.

Specified completion date.-The date on which the contract work is specified to be completed.

Standard forms.—Numbered forms issued by the General Services Administration for use as contract documents, abbreviated as SF. State.-The State or Commonwealth in which the work to be done is located.

Structures.-Bridges, culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, retaining walls, cribbing, manholes, end walls, buildings, sewers, service pipes, underdrains, foundation drain and other features which may be involved in the work and not otherwise classed herein.

Subcontractor.-An individual, partnership, firm, corporation or any acceptable combination thereof, of joint venture, to which the Contrac

tor subcontracts part of the work under the contract. Subcontractor shall include subcontractors in any tier.

Substructure.-All of that part of a structure below the bearings of simple and continuous spans, skewbacks of arches and tops of footings of rigid frames; including backwalls, wingwalls and wing protection railings.

Superintendent.-The Contractor's authorized representative in responsible charge of the work.

Superstructure.-All that part of a structure above the bearings on simple and continuous spans, skewbacks of arches and top of footings of rigid frames; excluding backwalls, wingwalls and wing protection railing.

Supplemental agreement.-A written agreement between the Contracting Officer and the Contractor, constituting a modification of the contract originally executed and covering the performance of work beyond the general scope thereof.

Surety. The corporation, partnership or individual, other than the Contractor, executing a bond furnished by the Contractor.

City, township, town or district.-A subdivision of the county used to designate or identify the location of the proposed work.

Traveled way. The portion of the roadway for the movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders.

Work.-The furnishing of all labor, materials, equipment, and incidentals necessary or convenient to the successful completion of the project and the carrying out of the duties and obligations imposed by the contract upon the Contractor.

Working day.-A calendar day during which normal construction operations could proceed for a major part of a shift; excludes Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Section 102.-BIDDING REQUIREMENTS AND

CONDITIONS

102.01 Qualification of Bidders. See SF 22, Instructions to Bidders.

102.02 Contents of Bid Forms. Upon request, the Government will furnish the prospective bidder with an Invitation for Bids. This assembly will state the location and descripton of the contemplated construction and will include the general requirements and conditions for bidding; the estimate of the various quantities and kinds of work to be performed or materials to be furnished; a schedule of items for which unit bid prices are invited; the time in which the work must be completed, the amount of the bid guarantee, and the date, time and place of