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Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73

§515 Contracts for project; guaranty of cost

Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 11— - BRIDGES OVER NAVIGABLE WATERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - ALTERATION OF BRIDGES › § 515

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

After the Secretary approves the plans and tells the bridge owner, the owner must take bids in the way and on the schedule the Secretary sets. All bids, including any from the owner, must be sent to the Secretary. The owner must say which bid seems best and give a written guarantee that the total project cost will not exceed a stated amount. The Secretary can reject all bids and order new ones, or allow the work by contract, by the owner, or by both. After the Secretary approves how costs are shared, the owner must start work within a reasonable time. Costs are shared between the United States and the owner under the law. If only part of a project is funded, bids may cover just that part. If work is done in stages, the owner may have to give a new cost guarantee after each stage.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §515

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

After approval of such general plans and specifications by the Secretary, and after notification of such approval, the bridge owner shall, in such manner and within such times as the Secretary may prescribe, take bids for the alteration of such bridge in accordance with such general plans and specifications. All bids, including any bid for all or part of the project submitted by the bridge owner, shall be submitted to the Secretary, together with a recommendation by the bridge owner as to the most competent bid or bids, and at the same time the bridge owner shall submit to the Secretary a written guaranty that the total cost of the project, including the cost of such work as is to be performed by the bridge owner and not included in the work to be performed by contract, shall not exceed the sum stated in said guaranty. The Secretary may direct the bridge owner to reject all bids and to take new bids, or may authorize the bridge owner to proceed with the project, by contract, or partly by contract and partly by the bridge owner, or wholly by the bridge owner. Upon such authorization and fixing of the proportionate shares of the cost as provided in section 516 of this title, the bridge owner shall, within a reasonable time to be prescribed by the Secretary, proceed with the work of alteration; and the cost thereof shall be borne by the United States and by the bridge owner, as provided in section 516 and 517 of this title: Provided, That where funds have been appropriated for part only of a project, the bridge owner may take bids for part only of the work. In the event the bridge owner proceeds with the alteration through the taking of successive partial bids, the bridge owner shall, if required by the Secretary, submit a revised guaranty of cost after bids are accepted for successive parts of the work.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1958—Pub. L. 85–640 struck out provisions which required bridge owner to take bids within 90 days after notification of approval of general plans and specifications, and inserted provisions permitting the taking of partial bids where funds have been appropriated for part of a project, and requiring the bridge owner, if requested, to submit a revised guaranty of cost.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 515

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73