1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:

(1) “Design-build”, a project for which the design and construction services are furnished under one contract;

(2) “Design-build contract”, a contract between a sewer district and a design-build contractor to furnish the architecture, engineering, and related design services, and the labor, materials, and other construction services required for a specific construction project;

(3) “Design-build contractor”, any individual, partnership, joint venture, corporation, or other legal entity that furnishes architecture or engineering services and construction services either directly or through subcontracts;

(4) “Design-build project”, the design, construction, alteration, addition, remodeling, or improvement of any sewer district buildings or facilities under contract with a sewer district. Contracts for design-build projects that involve the construction, replacement or rehabilitation of a sewer district pump station or any other project that is located solely on sewer district property, such that in all cases, the project must exceed an expenditure of one million dollars. Design-build projects shall not include projects built on easements or rights-of-way dedicated to the sewer district involving open-cut sewer lines or rehabilitation of sewer district sewer lines;

(5) “Design criteria package”, performance-oriented specifications for the design-build project sufficient to permit a design-build contractor to prepare a response to the sewer district’s request for proposals for a design-build project, which may include preliminary designs for the project or portions thereof;

(6) “Sewer district”, any metropolitan sewer district established under Section 30(a), Article VI, Constitution of Missouri.

2. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any sewer district is authorized to enter into design-build contracts for design-build projects that exceed an expenditure of one million dollars.

(2) In using a design-build contract, the sewer district shall establish a written procedure by rule for prequalifying design-build contractors before such design-build contractors will be allowed to make a proposal on the project.

(3) The sewer district shall adopt procedures for:

(a) The prequalification review team;

(b) Specifications for the design criteria package;

(c) The method of advertising, receiving, and evaluating proposals from design-build contractors;

(d) The criteria for awarding the design-build contract based on the design criteria package and a separate proposal stating the cost of construction; and

(e) Other methods, procedures, and criteria necessary to administer this section.

(4) The sewer district is authorized to issue a request for proposals to a maximum of five design-build contractors who are prequalified in accordance with this section.

(5) The sewer district may require approval of any person performing subcontract work on the design-build project including, but not limited to, those furnishing design services, labor, materials or equipment.

3. (1) Before the prequalification process specified in this section, the sewer district shall publicly advertise, once a week for two consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation, qualified under chapter 493, located within the cities located in the sewer district, or if there be no such newspaper, in a qualified newspaper of general circulation in the county, or if there be no such newspaper, in a qualified newspaper of general circulation in an adjoining county, and may advertise in business, trade, or minority newspapers, for qualification submissions on said design-build project.

(2) If the sewer district fails to receive at least two responsive submissions from prequalified design-build contractors, submissions shall not be opened and the sewer shall readvertise the project.

(3) The sewer district shall have the right to reject any and all submissions and proposals.

(4) The proposals from prequalified design-build contractors shall be submitted sealed and in writing, to be opened publicly at the time and place of the sewer district’s choosing. Technical proposals and qualifications submissions shall be submitted separately from any cost proposals. No cost proposal shall be opened until the technical proposals and qualifications submissions are first opened, evaluated, and ranked in accordance with the criteria identified by the sewer district in the request for proposals.

(5) The design-build contract shall be awarded to the design-build contractor whose proposal represents the best overall value to the sewer district in terms of quality, technical skill, schedule, and cost.

(6) No proposal shall be entertained by the sewer district that is not made in accordance with the request for proposals furnished by the sewer district.

4. (1) The payment bond requirements of section 107.170 shall apply to the design-build project. All persons furnishing design services shall be deemed to be covered by the payment bond the same as any person furnishing labor or materials; however, the performance bond for the design-build contractor does not need to cover the design services as long as the design-build contractor or its subcontractors providing design services carry professional liability insurance in an amount established by the sewer district in the request for proposals.

(2) Any person or firm providing architectural, engineering, or land surveying services for the design-build contractor on the design-build project shall be duly licensed or authorized in this state to provide such services as required by chapter 327.

5. (1) A sewer district planning a design-build project shall retain an architect or engineer, as appropriate to the project type, under sections 8.285 to 8.291, to assist with programming, site selection, master plan, the design criteria package, preparation of the request for proposals, prequalifying design-build contractors, evaluation of proposals, and preparation of forms necessary to award the design-build contract. The sewer district shall also retain that same architect or engineer or another to perform contract administration functions on behalf of the sewer district during the construction phase and after project completion. If the sewer district has an architect or engineer capable of fulfilling the functions described in this section, the sewer district is exempt from being required to retain another such professional.

(2) Any architect or engineer who is retained by a sewer district under this section shall be ineligible to act as the design-build contractor, or to participate as part of the design-build contractor’s team as a subcontractor, joint venturer, partner, or otherwise for the same design-build project for which the architect or engineer was hired by the sewer district.

6. Under section 327.465, any design-build contractor that enters into a design-build contract for a sewer district is exempt from the requirement that such person or entity hold a certificate of registration or such corporation hold a certificate of authority if the architectural, engineering, or land surveying services to be performed under the contract are performed through subcontracts with properly licensed and authorized persons or entities, and not performed by the design-build contractor or its own employees.