When used in the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following words and terms shall be construed as having the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

1. 1. "Awarding public agency" means the public agency which solicits and receives sealed bids on a particular public construction contract;
2. 2. "Bidding documents" means the bid notice, plans and specifications, bidding form, bidding instructions, special provisions and all other written instruments prepared by or on behalf of an awarding public agency for use by prospective bidders on a public construction contract;
3. 3. "Public agency" means the State of Oklahoma, and any county, city, town, school district or other political subdivision of the state, any public trust, any public entity specifically created by the statutes of the State of Oklahoma or as a result of statutory authorization therefor, and any department, agency, board, bureau, commission, committee or authority of any of the foregoing public entities;
4. 4. "Public construction contract" or "contract" means any contract, exceeding Twelve Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($12,500.00) in amount, awarded by any public agency for the purpose of making any public improvements or constructing any public building or making repairs to the same except where the improvements, construction of any building or repairs to the same are improvements or buildings leased to a person or other legal entity exclusively for private and not for public use and no public tax revenues shall be expended on or for the contract unless the public tax revenues used for the project are authorized by a majority of the voters of the applicable public agency voting at an election held for that purpose and the public tax revenues do not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the total project cost. The amount of public tax dollars committed to the project will not exceed a fixed amount established by resolution of the governing body prior to or concurrent with approval of the project;
5. 5. "Public improvement" means any beneficial or valuable change or addition, betterment, enhancement or amelioration of or upon any real property, or interest therein, belonging to a public agency, intended to enhance its value, beauty or utility or to adapt it to new or further purposes. The term does not include the direct purchase of materials, equipment or supplies by a public agency or any personal property as defined in subsection B of Section 430.1 of Title 62 of the Oklahoma Statutes; and
6. 6. "Retainage" means the difference between the amount earned by the contractor on a public construction contract, with the work being accepted by the public agency, and the amount paid on said contract by the public agency.

Laws 1974, HB 1665, c. 298, § 2, emerg. eff. August 1, 1974; Amended by Laws 1975, HB 1251, c. 266, § 1, emerg. eff. June 5, 1975; Amended by Laws 1977, SB 65, c. 74, § 1, eff. October 1, 1977; Amended by Laws 1979, SB 317, c. 28, § 1, emerg. eff. April 3, 1979; Amended by Laws 1990, SB 684, c. 158, § 1, emerg. eff. May 1, 1990; Amended by Laws 1994, SB 846, c. 7, § 5, emerg. eff. March 29, 1994; Amended by Laws 1998, HB 2909, c. 365, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1999, SB 694, c. 149, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 1999 (superseded document available).