Iowa Code Title I. State Sovereignty and Management [Chs. 1-38D] § 26.8. Bid security

1. Each bidder shall accompany its bid with a bid security as security that the successful bidder will enter into a contract for the work bid upon and will furnish after the award of contract a corporate surety bond, acceptable to the governmental entity, for the faithful performance of the contract, in an amount equal to one hundred percent of the amount of the contract. The bid security shall be in an amount fixed by the governmental entity, and shall be in the form of a cashier's check or certified check drawn on a state-chartered or federally chartered bank, or a certified share draft drawn on a state-chartered or federally chartered credit union, or the governmental entity may provide for a bidder's bond with corporate surety satisfactory to the governmental entity. The bidder's bond shall contain no conditions except as provided in this section.

2. The governmental entity shall fix the amount of bid security prior to ordering publication of the notice to bidders and such amount must equal at least five percent, but shall not exceed ten percent, of either the estimated total contract cost of the public improvement or the amount of each bid.