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Oregon public works bidding requirements

Jurisdiction: State of Oregon
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Summary of record

Verified Jul 8, 2026
Competitive bidding threshold (public work)
More than $100,000 (formal)
Governing statute
ORS 279C.335
Award standard
Lowest responsible bidder
Multiple-prime required?
No statewide mandate
Prevailing wage
More than $50,000
Addenda distribution
Published via ODOT Procurement Office
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Competitive bidding threshold

Public improvement contracts over $100,000 require formal competitive bidding under ORS 279C.335.1 Contracts up to $100,000 may use competitive quotes, and those under $25,000 are exempt.

Award standard

Contracts go to the lowest responsible bidder.1

Multiple-prime contracts

Oregon has no statewide multiple-prime mandate. Unlike New York's Wicks Law or Pennsylvania's Separations Act, a single general contract is permitted.

Prevailing wage

Public works over $50,000 must pay the prevailing wage rate, administered by the Bureau of Labor and Industries under ORS 279C.800–.870.2

If change orders push a sub-$50,000 project over the threshold, prevailing wage applies to the whole project.

Document distribution & addenda

Under the Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction, addenda are prepared and published through ODOT's Procurement Office before bid closing; the department prefers issuing addenda as early as possible, and an addendum may postpone the bid opening.3

ODOT prefers issuing addenda early rather than in a single last-minute addendum; an addendum may postpone the bid opening.

Record of change

Oregon requires formal competitive bidding on public improvement contracts over $100,000 (ORS 279C.335) and prevailing wage on public works over $50,000 (BOLI).

  1. Verified

    Added document-distribution source: Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction — addenda published via ODOT Procurement Office before bid closing.

  2. Verified

    Page created and verified against ORS 279C.335 (bidding) and ORS 279C.800–.870 (prevailing wage).

Sources

  1. 1. Oregon Legislature — ORS 279C.335 (competitive bidding requirement). oregon.public.law
  2. 2. Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries — Prevailing wage rate laws. oregon.gov/boli
  3. 3. Oregon DOT (ODOT) — Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction — addenda issued as part of the advertisement package before bid closing. www.oregon.gov

Frequently asked

What is the competitive bidding threshold for public works in Oregon?
Public improvement contracts over $100,000 require formal competitive bidding (ORS 279C.335); up to $100,000 may use competitive quotes, and under $25,000 is exempt.
What is Oregon's prevailing-wage threshold?
$50,000 — public works over $50,000 must pay the prevailing wage rate, administered by BOLI (ORS 279C.800–.870).
Does Oregon require multiple-prime contracts?
No. Oregon has no statewide multiple-prime mandate, unlike New York (Wicks Law) or Pennsylvania (Separations Act).

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Not legal advice. This page summarizes public law from primary sources for reference. Thresholds can change; always confirm the current requirement with the governing agency before relying on it for a specific procurement.