Payments to Contractor For and in consideration of the faithful performance of the work herein embraced as set forth in the Contract Documents, and in accordance with the directions of the TOWN, through its Engineer and to its satisfaction, the TOWN agrees to pay the CONTRACTOR the amount earned, computed from actual quantities of work performed and accepted or materials furnished at the unit bid price in the Bid Proposal and to make such payment in accordance with applicable Arizona Revised Statutes, after final inspection and acceptance of the work. The TOWN by mutual agreement may make progress payments on contracts of less than ninety days and shall make monthly progress payments on all other contracts as provided for in this paragraph. Payment to the CONTRACTOR on the basis of a duly certified and approved estimate of the work performed during the preceding calendar month under such Contract may include payment for material and equipment, but to ensure the proper performance of such Contract, the TOWN shall retain ten per cent (10%) of the amount of each estimate until final completion and acceptance of all material, equipment and work covered by the Contract. An estimate of the work submitted shall be deemed approved and certified for payment after ten (10) days from the date of submission unless before that time the TOWN or TOWN’s agent prepares and issues a specific written finding setting forth those items in detail in the estimate of the work that are not approved for payment under the Contract. The TOWN may withhold any amount from the progress payment sufficient to pay the expenses the TOWN reasonably expects to incur in correcting the deficiency set forth in the written finding. The progress payments shall be paid on or before fourteen (14) days after the estimate of the work is certified and approved. The estimate of the work shall be deemed received by the TOWN on submission to any person designated by the TOWN for the submission, review or approval of the estimate of the work. When the Contract is fifty per cent (50%) completed, one-half (1/2) of the amount retained, including any securities substituted as set forth below, shall be paid to the CONTRACTOR upon the CONTRACTOR’s request, provided the CONTRACTOR is making satisfactory progress on the Contract and there is no specific cause or claim requiring a greater amount to be retained. After the Contract is fifty per cent (50%) completed, no more than five percent (5%) of the amount of any subsequent progress payments made under the Contract may be retained, providing the CONTRACTOR is making satisfactory progress on the project, except that if at any time the TOWN determines satisfactory progress is not being made, ten per cent (10%) retention shall be reinstated for all progress payments made under the Contract subsequent to the determination. Upon completion and acceptance of each separate building, public work or other division of the Contract on which the price is stated separately in the Contract, except as qualified below, payment may be made in full, including retained percentages thereon, less authorized deductions. In preparing estimates, the material and equipment delivered on the site to be incorporated in the job shall be taken into consideration in determining the estimated value by the Architect or Engineer. Ten percent (10%) (or five percent (5%) the CONTRACTOR is making satisfactory progress) if of all estimates shall be retained by the TOWN as a guarantee for complete performance of the Contract, to be paid to the CONTRACTOR within sixty (60) days after completion or filing notice of completion of the Contract. Retention of payments by the TOWN longer than sixty (60) days after final completion and acceptance requires a specific written finding by the TOWN of the reasons justifying the delay in payment. The TOWN may not retain any moneys after sixty (60) days which are in excess of the amount necessary to pay the expenses the purchasing agency reasonably expects to incur in order to pay or discharge the expenses determined by the TOWN in the finding justifying the retention of moneys. In lieu of the retention provided in this section, the TOWN shall, at the option of the CONTRACTOR, accept as a substitute an assignment of time certificates of deposit of banks licensed by this State, securities of or guaranteed by the United States of America, securities of this State, securities of counties, municipalities and schools within this State, or shares of savings and loan institutions authorized to transact business in this State, in an amount equal to ten per cent (10%) (or five percent (5%) the CONTRACTOR is making satisfactory progress) of all estimates which shall be retained by the agent as a guarantee for complete performance of the Contract. In the event the TOWN accepts substitute security as described in this paragraph for the ten percent (10%) (or five percent (5%) the CONTRACTOR is making satisfactory progress) retention, the CONTRACTOR shall be entitled to receive all interest or income earned by such security as it accrues and all such security in lieu of retention shall be returned to the CONTRACTOR by the TOWN within sixty (60) days after final completion and acceptance of all material, equipment and work covered by the Contract if the CONTRACTOR has furnished the TOWN satisfactory receipts for all labor and material billed and waivers of liens from any and all persons holding claims against the work. In no event shall the agent accept a time certificate of deposit of a bank or shares of a savings and loan institution in lieu of the retention specified unless accompanied by a signed and acknowledged waiver of the bank or savings and loan association of any right or power to set off against either the TOWN or the CONTRACTOR in relationship to the certificates or shares assigned. In any instance where the TOWN has accepted substitute security as provided above, any Subcontractor undertaking to perform any part of such public work shall be entitled to provide substitute security to the CONTRACTOR upon terms and conditions similar to those described above, and such security shall be in lieu of any retention under the Subcontract.
