All contractual claims for money or other relief shall be adjudicated
using the following procedure, which shall be included or incorporated
by reference in every contract:
A. Notice. The contractor shall give written notice of his or her intention
to file a contractual claim to the County Administrator at the time
of the event or the beginning of the work upon which the claim is
based.
B. Claim. Contractual claims must be submitted in writing to the County
Administrator no later than 60 days after final payment.
C. Decision. The County Administrator or an authorized designee shall
make a written decision addressing the claim within 90 days of submission.
D. Appeal. The decision of the County Administrator shall be final and conclusive unless the contractor appeals within six months of the date of the final decision on the claim by invoking administrative procedures or instituting legal action. A contractor may not invoke administrative procedures or institute legal action prior to receipt of the County's decision on the claim, unless the County fails to render such decision within the time period specified in Subsection
C.
Pending final determination of a protest or appeal, the validity
of a contract awarded and accepted in good faith in accordance with
this chapter shall not be affected by the fact that a protest or appeal
has been filed.