137-049-0620 Use of Alternative Contracting Methods (1) Competitive Bidding Exemptions. ORS Chapter 279C requires a competitive bidding process for Public Improvement Contracts, unless a statutory exception applies, a class of Contracts has been exempted from the competitive bidding process, or an individual Contract has been exempted from the competitive bidding process, in accordance with 279C.335 and any applicable Contracting Agency administrative rules. Use of Alternative Contracting Methods may be directed by the Contracting Agency if that use is within the competitive bidding process, if feasible, or through an available statutory exception to the competitive bidding process. Use of Alternative Contracting Methods must be directed through a Contracting Agency's Contract Review Authority, however, when use of the Alternative Contracting Method requires an exemption to the prescribed competitive bidding requirement of 279C.335. In any of these circumstances, use of Alternative Contracting Methods must be justified in accordance with any applicable Code and Contracting Agency requirements and, if required, these OAR 137-049-0600 to 137-049-0690 rules. See 137-049-0630 regarding required Findings and restrictions on exemptions from the competitive bidding requirement under ORS 279C.335. (2) Energy Performance Contracts. EPCs are excepted from the competitive bidding requirements for Public Improvement Contracts pursuant to ORS 279C.335(1)(f), if the Contracting Agency complies with the procedures set forth in OAR 137-049-0600 to 137-049-0690 or parallel administrative rules meeting the requirements of ORS 279A.065 related to the solicitation, negotiation and contracting for EPC Work. If those procedures are not followed, an EPC procurement may still be exempted from competitive bidding requirements for public improvements by following the general exemption procedures within ORS 279C.335. (3) Post-Project Evaluation. ORS 279C.355 requires that the Contracting Agency prepare a formal post-project evaluation of Public Improvement projects in excess of $100,000 when the Contracting Agency does not use the competitive bidding process required by 279C.335. The purpose of this evaluation is to determine whether it was actually in the Contracting Agency's best interest to use an Alternative Contracting Method outside the competitive bidding process. The evaluation must be delivered to the Contracting Agency's Contract Review Authority within 30 Days of the date the Contracting Agency "accepts" the Public Improvement project, which event is typically defined in the Contract. In the absence of such definition, acceptance of the Project occurs on the later of the date of final payment or the date of final completion of the Contract Work. ORS 279C.355 describes the timing and content of this evaluation, with three required elements: (a) Financial information, consisting of cost estimates, any Guaranteed Maximum Price, changes and actual costs; (b) A narrative description of successes and failures during design, engineering and construction; and (c) An objective assessment of the use of the Alternative Contracting Method as compared to the exemption Findings. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 279C.335 & 279A.065 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 279C.335, 279A.065, 279C.355 & 351.086 History: DOJ 1-2026, amend filed 01/21/2026, effective 01/21/2026 DOJ 2-2015, f. & cert. ef. 2-3-15 Reverted to DOJ 15-2009, f. 12-1-09, cert. ef. 1-1-10 DOJ 10-2014(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 7-1-14 thru 12-26-14 DOJ 15-2009, f. 12-1-09, cert. ef. 1-1-10 DOJ 20-2005, f. 12-27-05, cert. ef. 1-1-06 DOJ 11-2004, f. 9-1-04, cert. ef. 3-1-05