§ 45-55-4. Definitions.
The words defined in this section have the following meanings whenever they appear
in this chapter, unless the context in which they are used clearly requires a different
meaning or a different definition is prescribed for a particular section, group of
sections or provision.
(1) "Business� means any corporation, partnership, individual, sole proprietorship, joint
stock company, joint venture, or any other legal entity through which business is
conducted.
(2) "Change order� means a written order signed by the purchasing agent, or contractor
directing or allowing the contractor to make changes which the changes clause of the
contract authorizes the purchasing agent or contractor to order without the consent
of the contractor or purchasing agent.
(3) "Construction� means the process of building, altering, repairing, improving, or demolishing
any public structures or building, or other public improvements of any kind to any
public real property. It does not include the routine maintenance or repair of existing
structures, buildings, or real property performed by salaried employees of the municipality
in the usual course of their job.
(4) "Contract� means all types of agreements, including grants and orders, for the purchase
or disposal of supplies, services, construction, or any other item. It includes awards;
contracts of a fixed-price, cost, cost-plus-a-fixed-fee, or incentive type; contracts
providing for the issuance of job or task orders; leases; letter contracts, purchase
orders, and construction management contracts. It also includes supplemental agreements
with respect to any of the preceding. "Contract� does not include labor contracts
with employees of the municipality.
(5) "Contract modification� means any written alteration in the specifications, delivery
point, rate of delivery, contract period, price, quantity, or other contract provisions
of any existing contract, whether accomplished by unilateral action in accordance
with a contract provision, or by mutual action of the parties to the contract. It
includes bilateral actions, as supplemental agreements, and unilateral actions, as
change orders, administrative changes, notices of termination, and notices of the
exercise of a contract option.
(6) "Contractor� means any person having a contract with a municipality.
(8) "Data� means recorded information, regardless of form or characteristic.
(8) "Designee� means a duly authorized representative of a person holding a superior position.
(9) "Employee� means an individual drawing a salary from a municipality, whether elected
or not, and any nonsalaried individual performing personal services for any municipality.
(10) "May� means permissive.
(11) "Municipality� means the individual cities and towns of the state of Rhode Island.
(12) "Negotiationâ€� means contracting by either of the methods described in §§ 45-55-6, 45-55-7, and 45-55-8.
(13) "Person� means any business, individual, organization, or group of individuals.
(14) "Procurement� means the purchasing, buying, renting, leasing, or otherwise obtaining
of any supplies, services, or construction. It also includes all functions that pertain
to the obtaining of any supply, service, or construction item, including description
of requirements, selection and solicitation of sources, preparation and award of contract,
and all phases of contract administration.
(15) "Purchasing officer� means the person designated in each municipality or quasi public
agency pursuant to section 45-55-3.
(16) "Regulations� means rules and regulations adopted by the individual cities or towns,
concerning the implementation of the provisions of this chapter.
(17) "Services� means the rendering, by a contractor, of its time and effort rather than
the furnishing of a specific end product, other than reports which are merely incidental
to the required performance of services. "Services� does not include labor contracts
with employees of governmental agencies.
(18) "Shall� means imperative.
(19) "Supplemental agreement� means any contract modification which is accomplished by
the mutual action of the parties.
(20) "Supplies� means all property, including, but not limited, to leases of real property,
printing and insurance, except land or permanent interest in land.