The said municipal authorities must let the contract to the lowest responsible bidder; provided, that if the lowest responsible bidder has not bid a satisfactory price, the council may reject all bids and readvertise for bids in the same manner as hereinabove provided. The said municipal authorities may, by order, impose further conditions upon bidders with regard to bonds and surety for the faithful completion of such work according to contract or for any other purpose mentioned in the specifications. Surety bond for the faithful completion of said work shall be required, where same or any part thereof is let out by contract, in an amount not less than 50 percent of the estimated total of each contract.
In the event that the city or town makes any such election, then the provisions of subsection (a) of this section requiring the city or town to ask for bids from contractors and to publish a notice with respect thereto shall not be applicable to any work of construction to be performed by the city or town or to any labor and material or either to be furnished by the city or town or to any work of construction, labor, materials, or services that are to be supplied by the state pursuant to any contract between the city or town and the state or any of its departments or agencies.
Ala. Code § 11-48-11 (1975)