2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 28. Contracts and Other Obligations › Chapter 2. Contracts › Part 21. Payment of Construction Contractors and Subcontractors › 28-2-2103. Payment to contractor and subcontractor

28-2-2103. Payment to contractor and subcontractor.
(1) (a) Except as provided in 28-2-2115, each construction contract governed by this section must define, within the contract, a monthly billing cycle for the contractor to submit monthly progress payment requests and final payment requests to the owner. The contractor shall submit payment requests to the owner. Payment requests must be based upon actual or estimated work performed and materials supplied during the preceding monthly billing cycle. This requirement does not preclude an owner from mutually agreeing with the contractor to prepay for materials. The owner is considered to have received a payment request when the payment request is submitted to any person designated by the owner in the contract to receive the payment request.
(b) Except as provided in 28-2-2115, a contractor's request for payment is considered approved by the owner 21 days after receipt of the request by the owner or the person designated in the contract by the owner to receive the payment request unless, prior to that time, the owner provides the contractor with a written statement containing specific items in the request for payment that are being disapproved by the owner.
(c) The owner may disapprove the request for payment or a portion of the request based upon a claim of:
(i) unsatisfactory job progress;
(ii) failure to remedy defective construction work or materials;
(iii) disputed work or materials;
(iv) failure to comply with material provisions of the construction contract or accompanying documents, including but not limited to payroll certifications, lien releases, warranties, material certifications, and test data;
(v) failure of a contractor to make timely payment for claims, including but not limited to claims for labor, equipment, materials, subcontracts, taxes, fees, professional services, rent, and royalties;
(vi) damage to the owner; or
(vii) the existence of reasonable evidence that the construction contract cannot be completed for the unpaid balance of the contract sum.
(d) An owner may withhold from a payment only an amount that is sufficient to pay the direct expenses that the owner may reasonably expect will be necessary to correct any claim based on the items set out in subsection (1)(c).
(e) A written statement by an owner must be furnished to the contractor specifying a condition that is listed in subsection (1)(c) for which approval of the request for payment or a portion of the request for payment is being withheld. If an owner disapproves only a portion of a request for payment, the remainder of the request for payment must be considered approved.
(f) Except as provided in 28-2-2115, if an owner approves all or a portion of a contractor's request for payment as provided in subsection (1)(b), the owner shall pay the contractor the approved amount within 7 days after the contractor's request for payment is approved.
(g) Upon written request of a subcontractor who has not been paid for work in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2), an owner shall notify the subcontractor of a progress payment or final payment made to the general contractor.
(h) Payment is not required under this subsection (1) unless the contractor provides the owner with a billing statement or estimate for the work performed or the material supplied in accordance with the terms of the contract.
(2) (a) Within 7 days after a contractor receives a periodic or final payment from an owner or a state agency, the contractor shall pay the subcontractor, if any, the full amount due the subcontractor in accordance with the subcontract for work performed or materials provided in accordance with that subcontract.
(b) Payment is not required under this subsection (2) unless the subcontractor provides the contractor a billing statement or invoice for work performed or materials supplied pursuant to the terms of the subcontract.
(c) Prior to submitting a monthly or final pay application to the owner, the general contractor may disapprove the subcontractor's request for payment or a portion of the request based upon a written claim of any of the conditions listed in subsection (1)(c).
(3) (a) Within 7 days after a subcontractor receives a periodic or final payment from a contractor, the subcontractor shall pay another subcontractor, if any, the full amount due the subcontractor under the subcontract for work performed or materials provided in accordance with that subcontract.
(b) Payment is not required under this subsection (3) unless the subcontractor provides the contractor a billing statement or invoice for work performed or materials supplied pursuant to the terms of the subcontract.
History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 470, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 274, L. 2003.