A. The city council shall order any improvement provided for herein to be made by the city by the employment of day labor or by contract. If the cost of any improvement is less than five hundred dollars the council may provide in the ordinance ordering such improvement that said improvement shall be made by the city directly by the employment of labor. In all other cases the commissioner of public works shall advertise for bids for making such improvement. All bids shall be made in duplicate, be securely sealed, and shall be filed with the city clerk. Notice calling for such bids shall be published in the city official paper at least two times, more than five days before the letting of such contract. At the time of publishing said notices specifications for said improvement must be on file in the office of the commissioner of public works subject to public inspection. All bids shall be accompanied by a certified check payable to the order of the city clerk or a bid bond issued by a responsible surety company for a sum not less than five percent of the amount of the bid, and no bid shall be considered unless accompanied by such check or bid bond. At the time and place mentioned in said notice said bids shall be opened by the city council and the city council may:

First: Let the contract for making such improvement or any part thereof to the lowest responsible bidder, or Second: Reject any or all bids, or Third: Reject any and all bids and direct said commissioner of public works to re-advertise for bids for all or any part of such improvement.

B. In case no satisfactory bid is received for making an improvement ordered, as provided above, said improvement shall be made by the city by day labor under the supervision of the commissioner of public works. All local improvements made under the provisions of this chapter shall be constructed under the supervision of the commissioner of public works.

C. If any bidder fails to enter into such contract in accordance with its bid within ten days from the date at which the bidder is notified that it is the successful bidder, the check or the bid bond accompanying its bid shall be forfeited to the city and the proceeds of said check or bid bond shall be placed in the local improvement fund, and the commissioner of public works shall re-advertise for bids for such work. (Prior code § 13.48.160.)