For the purposes of this chapter, the Ohio water development authority may:
(A) Adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business under this chapter;
(B) Sue and plead in its own name; be sued and impleaded in its own name with respect to its contracts or torts of its members, employees, or agents acting within the scope of their employment, or to enforce its obligations and covenants made under sections6123.06,6123.08, and6123.13of the Revised Code. Any such actions against the authority shall be brought in the court of common pleas of the county in which the principal office of the authority is located, or in the court of common pleas of the county in which the cause of action arose, provided such county is located within this state, and all summonses, exceptions, and notices of every kind shall be served on the authority by leaving a copy thereof at the principal office with the person in charge thereof or with the secretary-treasurer of the authority.
(C) Make loans and grants to governmental agencies for the acquisition or construction of development projects by any such governmental agency and adopt rules and procedures for making such loans and grants;
(D) Acquire, construct, reconstruct, enlarge, improve, furnish, equip, maintain, repair, operate, lease or rent to, or contract for operation by, a person or governmental agency, development projects, and establish rules for the use of such projects;
(E) Make available the use or services of any development project to one or more persons, one or more governmental agencies, or any combination thereof;
(F) Issue development revenue bonds and notes and development revenue refunding bonds of the state, payable solely from revenues as provided in section6123.06of the Revised Code, unless the bonds be refunded by refunding bonds, for the purpose of paying any part of the cost of one or more development projects or parts thereof;
(G) Acquire by gift or purchase, hold, and dispose of real and personal property in the exercise of the powers of the authority and the performance of its duties under this chapter;
(H) Acquire, in the name of the state, by purchase or otherwise, on such terms and in such manner as the authority determines proper, public or private lands, or parts thereof or rights therein, rights-of-way, property, rights, easements, and interests as it finds necessary for carrying out this chapter; and compensation shall be paid for public or private lands so taken;
(I) Make and enter into all contracts and agreements and execute all instruments necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this chapter:
(1) When the cost under any such contract or agreement, other than compensation for personal services, involves an expenditure of more than twenty-five thousand dollars, the authority shall make a written contract with the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, in accordance with section9.312of the Revised Code, after advertisement for not less than two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Franklin county, and in such other publications as the authority determines, such notice shall state the general character of the work and materials to be furnished, the place where plans and specifications therefor may be examined, and the time and place of receiving bids. Provided, that a contract or lease for the operation of a development project constructed and owned by the authority or an agreement for cooperation in the acquisition or construction of a development project pursuant to section6123.13of the Revised Code or any contract for the construction of a development project that is to be leased by the authority to, and operated by, persons who are not governmental agencies and the cost of such project is to be amortized exclusively from rentals or other charges paid to the authority by persons who are not governmental agencies or by governmental agencies that receive the use or services of such project, including governmental agencies that are parties to an agreement for cooperation in the acquisition or construction of such development project pursuant to section6123.13of the Revised Code, is not subject to the foregoing requirements and the authority may enter into such contract or lease or such agreement pursuant to negotiation and upon such terms and conditions and for such period as it finds to be reasonable and proper in the circumstances and in the best interests of proper operation or of efficient acquisition or construction of such project.
(2) Each bid for a contract for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of an improvement shall contain the full name of every person interested in it and who meets the requirements of section153.54of the Revised Code.
(3) Each bid for a contract, except as provided in division (I)(2) of this section, shall contain the full name of every person or company interested in it and shall be accompanied by a sufficient bond or certified check on a solvent bank that if the bid is accepted a contract will be entered into and the performance thereof secured.
(4) The authority may reject any and all bids.
(5) A bond with good and sufficient surety, approved by the authority, shall be required of every contractor awarded a contract except as provided in division (I)(2) of this section, in an amount equal to at least fifty per cent of the contract price, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the contract.
(J) Employ managers, superintendents, and other employees and retain or contract with consulting engineers, financial consultants, accounting experts, architects, attorneys, and such other consultants and independent contractors as are necessary in its judgment to carry out this chapter, and fix the compensation thereof. All expenses thereof shall be payable solely from the proceeds of development revenue bonds or notes issued under this chapter, from revenues, or from funds appropriated for such purpose by the general assembly.
(K) Receive and accept from any federal agency, subject to the approval of the governor, grants for or in aid of the construction of any development project or for research and development with respect to solid waste facilities or energy resource development facilities, and receive and accept aid or contributions from any source of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions are made;
(L) Engage in research and development with respect to solid waste facilities or energy resource development facilities;
(M) Purchase fire and extended coverage and liability insurance for any development project and for the principal office and sub-offices of the authority, insurance protecting the authority and its officers and employees against liability for damage to property or injury to or death of persons arising from its operations, and any other insurance the authority may agree to provide under any resolution authorizing its development revenue bonds or in any trust agreement securing the same;
(N) Charge, alter, and collect rentals and other charges for the use or services of any development project as provided in section6123.13of the Revised Code;
(O) Provide coverage for its employees under Chapters 145., 4123., and 4141. of the Revised Code;
(P) Do all acts necessary or proper to carry out the powers expressly granted in this chapter.
Any instrument by which real property is acquired pursuant to this section shall identify the agency of the state that has the use and benefit of the real property as specified in section5301.012of the Revised Code.