The bid guarantee is a form of risk insurance used in the construction industry. By submitting a bid bond together with a construction bid, the contractor provides a legal guarantee that he will sign a contract if awarded. If a tied contractor fails to sign the contract when offered, he faces financial and civil penalties.
These titles are designed to protect the owner or developer of a project. An owner can be a developer, a private company or a government agency. Bid security helps minimize frivolous bidding and wasted time for the owner. As bonds are issued by private surety companies, the owner can feel confident that all bidders have been carefully vetted and pre-qualified by their respective surety agent. This helps weed out bidders with a history of poor performance, as well as those who don't have the resources to successfully complete the project.
When a work is issued for bids, the owner will specify whether bid bonds are required. The bid guarantee generally represents a percentage of the total bid and varies widely based on project requirements. Contractors will request deposits for this amount from their liaison officers, who will issue a deposit directly to the contractor. The contractor will submit its bid and bid security to the project owner.
All bidders who do not receive the project will receive their titles once the bidding process is complete. The contractor who wins the job will also receive their bond once they sign a contract for the work. In effect, the contract now replaces the title offering to protect the owner from risk. If the contractor decides not to sign the contract, the surety company will reimburse the owner for the losses incurred. This is usually equal to the price difference between the lowest bidder and the bidder who finally gets the job.
In the United States, security of supply is required on all government projects valued at more than $100,000.00. The security must be valued at twenty percent of the offering price up to a maximum of $3 million. As it can sometimes be difficult for smaller contractors to obtain such large bonuses, they are allowed to provide bidding guarantees in the form of cash or bank checks. Bond requirements on US government projects are set out in the Miller Act, which was first passed nearly a century ago. Many states have their own binding laws known as the "Little Miller Acts".
It is important to understand that tender security is not the only type of lashing device used on most projects. A homeowner who requires contractors to provide a bid guarantee will usually also require payment and performance guarantees. Once the contract is signed, a security deposit protects the owner if the contractor fails to pay its suppliers and subcontractors. A performance guarantee is more comprehensive and protects the owner if the contractor fails to complete the job due to poor performance, financial problems or bankruptcy.