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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84415</law_id><section_number>2.2-4335</section_number><catch_line>Public construction contract provisions barring damages for unreasonable delays declared void</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="2.2">Administration of Government</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Administration of State Government</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="B">Transaction of Public Business</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="43">Virginia Public Procurement Act</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="2">Contract Formation and Administration</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any provision contained in any public <span class="dictionary">construction</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> that purports to <span class="dictionary">waive</span>, release, or extinguish the rights of a contractor to recover costs or <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for unreasonable delay in performing such <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, either on his behalf or on behalf of his subcontractor if and to the extent the delay is caused by acts or omissions of the <span class="dictionary">public body</span>, its agents or employees and due to causes within their control shall be void and unenforceable as against public policy. <a id="paragraph-302581" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Subsection A shall not be construed to render void any provision of a public <span class="dictionary">construction</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> that: <a id="paragraph-302582" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Allows a <span class="dictionary">public body</span> to recover that portion of delay costs caused by the acts or omissions of the contractor, or its subcontractors, agents or employees; <a id="paragraph-302583" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Requires notice of any delay by the <span class="dictionary">party</span> claiming the delay; <a id="paragraph-302584" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Provides for liquidated <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for delay; or <a id="paragraph-302585" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Provides for arbitration or any other procedure designed to settle <span class="dictionary">contract</span> disputes. <a id="paragraph-302586" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A contractor making a claim against a <span class="dictionary">public body</span> for costs or <span class="dictionary">damages</span> due to the alleged delaying of the contractor in the performance of its work under any public <span class="dictionary">construction</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> shall be liable to the <span class="dictionary">public body</span> and shall pay it for a percentage of all costs incurred by the <span class="dictionary">public body</span> in investigating, analyzing, negotiating, litigating and arbitrating the claim, which percentage shall be equal to the percentage of the contractor&#x2019;s total delay claim that is determined through <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> or arbitration to be false or to have no basis in <span class="dictionary">law</span> or in <span class="dictionary">fact</span>. <a id="paragraph-302587" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A <span class="dictionary">public body</span> denying a contractor&#x2019;s claim for costs or <span class="dictionary">damages</span> due to the alleged delaying of the contractor in the performance of work under any public <span class="dictionary">construction</span> <span class="dictionary">contract</span> shall be liable to and shall pay such contractor a percentage of all costs incurred by the contractor to investigate, analyze, negotiate, litigate and arbitrate the claim. The percentage paid by the <span class="dictionary">public body</span> shall be equal to the percentage of the contractor&#x2019;s total delay claim for which the <span class="dictionary">public body</span>&#x2019;s denial is determined through <span class="dictionary">litigation</span> or arbitration to have been made in bad faith. <a id="paragraph-302588" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/2.2-4335/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1991, c. 701, &#xA7; 11-56.2; 2001, cc. 324, 844.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
