CHAPTER 675

An Act to require conferences and consultations with the Superintendent
of Public Instruction on the part of certain local school boards,
authorities and political subdivisions; to impose duties upon the
Superintendent of Public Instruction in relation to the compilation
and dissemination of data pertaining to building costs, contracts for
technical services in relation to building construction, and inspection
services during construction; to define certain terms and impose
certain requirements as to the expenditure of certain funds for con-
struction of buildings; to provide for the extension of technical aid
on request to the Superintendent of Public Instruction; to repeal
§§ 22-166.4 and 22-166.5, and all amendments thereto of the Code
of Virginia.

[H 624]

Approved April 7, 1954

§ 1. As used herein

(a) “Superintendent” means Superintendent of Public Instruction;

(b) “State-aid project” means the construction of any ao oe for
school purposes or substantial addition to such a building for which
funds, either by appropriation, grant-in-aid or loan, are used or to he
used for all or part of the cost of construction;

“Owner”? means school board, agency or authority or political

subdivision having a State-aid project for construction.

§ 2. The Superintendent shall compile data concerning the cost of
construction of buildings of various types and sizes in such manner as to
show unit costs, material costs, and labor costs, and comparative costs
as between buildings of similar kinds or which are constructed for similar
purposes. The Superintendent shall also compile data concerning building
materials and the relative advantages of different materials in construc-
tion and use. Such data may be taken from nationally recognized publi-
cations containing the same, provided the owners thereof consent.

§ 3. The Superintendent shall publish periodically the data com-
piled by him under the provisions of § 2 of this act, and shall send
copies thereof to each division superintendent of schools, and each other
agency or authority to which State funds have been made available for
State-aid projects, or which has applied for funds for a State-aid project
under any applicable provision of law.

(a) After the selection of an architect or engineer by any
owner but before a contract is entered into between any architect
or engineer and any such owner for the preparation of plans or specifi-
cations for any State-aid project such owner shall consult with the
Superintendent concerning the proposed contract with such architect or
engineer.

(b) Prior to the advertising for bids or letting of any contract for
construction of a State-aid project such owner shall consult with the
Superintendent concerning plans, materials, costs and terms of the con-
tract for construction thereof.

(c) No State funds, whether by way of appropriation, grant-in-aid,
or loan, shall be expended, allocated, or made available in any way until
such owner certifies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction that the
consultations required by this section have been had.

§ 5. No contract for the construction of any State-aid project shall
be let except after competitive bidding. The procedure for the advertis-
ing for bids, and letting of the contract, shall conform, mutatis mutandis,
to Chapter 4 of Title 11 of the Code of Virginia. No person or firm
shall be eligible to bid on any such contract, nor to have the same
awarded to him or it who has been engaged as architect or engineer for
the same project. |

§ 6. Nothing contained herein shall dispense with the requirement
of approval of certain plans and specifications by the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and the division superintendent of schools under
§ 22-152 of the Code.

2. §§ 22-166.4 and 22-166.5 and all amendments thereof, of the Code of
Virginia are repealed.