(A) As used in sections 9.315 and 9.316 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Public authority" means the state or a county, township, municipal corporation, school district, or other political subdivision of the state, or any public agency, authority, board, commission, instrumentality, or special district of the state or of a county, township, municipal corporation, school district, or other political subdivision of the state.

(2) "Self-insured public authority" means a public authority that has been granted the privilege to self-insure a construction project against workers' compensation liability by the administrator of workers' compensation pursuant to division (O) of section 4123.35 of the Revised Code.

(B) No officer, employee, or other agent of a public authority, in issuing an invitation for bids or a request for proposals for a contract with the public authority for the rendering of services or the supplying of materials, or for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of any public building, structure, highway, or other improvement, shall, directly or indirectly, require that any bid bond, performance bond, payment bond, or other bond, or any insurance policy, required under the contract be furnished by or acquired from a particular surety or insurance company or a particular agent or broker.

(C) Division (B) of this section does not apply to any insurance policy entered into by a self-insured public authority in connection with a contract otherwise subject to this section. This division does not exempt any bid bond, performance bond, payment bond, or other bond from the appropriate application of division (B) of this section.

Effective Date: 05-16-2002 .