(a) Whenever any agency of this state or of any county, municipality, or school district, or other local taxing unit or improvement district, enters into a contract covered by the provisions of §§ 22-9-202 -- 22-9-204 for the making of repairs or alterations or the erection of buildings or for the making of any other improvements, or for the construction or improvement of highways, roads, streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, drainage or sewer projects, or for any other construction project in which the public work or public improvement construction project involves any trench or excavation which equals or exceeds five feet (5') in depth, the agency, county, municipality, school district, local taxing unit, or improvement district shall require:

(1) That the current edition of Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standard for Excavation and Trenches Safety System, 29 C.F.R. Part 1926, Subpart P, be specifically incorporated into the specifications for the project; and

(2) That the contract bid form include a separate pay item for trench or excavation safety systems to be included in the base bid.

(b) In the event a contractor fails to complete a separate pay item in accordance with the applicable provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the agency, county, municipality, school district, local taxing unit, or improvement district shall declare that the bid fails to comply fully with the provisions of the specifications and bid documents and will be considered invalid as a nonresponsive bid. The owners of the above-stated project shall notify the Safety Division of the Department of Labor of the award of a contract covered by this section.