24. a. The contracting unit shall award the contract or reject all bids within such time as may be specified in the invitation to bid, but in no case more than 60 days, except that the bids of any bidders who consent thereto may, at the request of the contracting unit, be held for consideration for such longer period as may be agreed. All bid security, except the security of the three apparent lowest responsible bidders, shall be returned, unless otherwise requested by the bidder, within 10 days after the opening of the bids, Sundays and holidays excepted, and the bids of such bidders shall be considered as withdrawn. Within three days, Sundays and holidays excepted, after the awarding and signing of the contract and the approval of the contractor’s performance bond, the bid security of the remaining unsuccessful bidders shall be returned to them.

b. The contract shall be signed by all parties within the time limit set forth in the specifications, which shall not exceed 21 days, Sundays and holidays excepted, after the making of the award; provided, however, that all parties to the contract may agree to extend the limit set forth in the specifications beyond the 21 day limit required in this subsection. The contractor, upon written request to the contracting unit, is entitled to receive, within seven days of the request, an authorization to proceed pursuant to the terms of the contract on the date set forth in the contract for work to commence, or, if no date is set forth in the contract, upon receipt of authorization. If for any reason the contract is not awarded and the bidders have paid for or paid a deposit for the plans and specifications to the contracting unit, the payment or deposit shall immediately be returned to the bidders when the plans and specifications are returned in reasonable condition within 90 days of notice that the contract has not been awarded.

L.1971, c.198, s.24; amended by L. 1975, c. 353, s. 14; 1977, c. 53, s. 8; 1983, c. 175; 1987, c. 48, s. 2.