Section 38A. Contracts for road and bridge projects awarded as a result of a proposal or invitation for bids under section 39M shall include a price adjustment clause for each of the following materials: fuel, both diesel and gasoline; asphalt; concrete; and steel. Contracts for water and sewer projects awarded as a result of a proposal or invitation for bids under said section 39M shall include a price adjustment clause for fuel, both diesel and gasoline; liquid asphalt; and portland cement contained in cast-in-place concrete. A base price for each material shall be set by the awarding authority or agency and shall be included in the bid documents at the time the project is advertised. The awarding authority or agency shall also identify in the bid documents the price index to be used for each material. The price adjustment clause shall provide for a contract adjustment to be made on a monthly basis when the monthly cost change exceeds plus or minus 5 per cent.