SB550:

Virginia Public Procurement Act; payment clauses to be included in contracts.

Bill Summary:

Contracts; payment clauses to be included in certain contracts; right to payment of subcontractors. Requires construction contracts awarded by state or local government agencies as well as certain private construction contracts in which there is at least one general contractor and one subcontractor to include a payment clause that obligates the contractors to be individually liable for the entire amount owed to any subcontractor with which it contracts. The bill provides that a contractor shall not be liable for amounts otherwise reducible due to the subcontractor's noncompliance with the terms of the contract; however, the contractor must notify the subcontractor in writing of the contractor's intent to withhold all or a part of the subcontractor's payment with the reason for such nonpayment. Payment by the party contracting with the contractor shall not be a condition precedent to payment to any lower-tier subcontractor. The bill also requires a payment clause to be included in any construction contract between an owner and a general contractor that requires (i) the owner to pay the general contractor within 45 days of receipt of an invoice following satisfactory completion of the contracted-for work, and (ii) a higher-tier contractor to pay a lower-tier subcontractor within the earlier of 45 days of satisfactory completion of the work for which the subcontractor has invoiced or seven days after receipt of amounts paid by the owner to the general contractor for work performed. Lastly, the bill provides that the Department of General Services shall convene the Public Body Procurement Workgroup to review whether the issue of nonpayment between general contractors and subcontractors necessitates legislative corrective action and report its findings and legislative recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2022.