Force Account Threshold Updates July 1

Force Account Threshold Updates July 1 on ODOT Website

Force account work refers to a road project completed using a township’s own forces (ex. employees, equipment, and materials) rather than bidding out for an outside contractor.

When a township has the capacity to complete this work internally, it can provide efficiency and cost savings.

Force account authority is limited by statutory thresholds updated each fiscal year. These thresholds are published by the Ohio Department of Transportation and updated each year on July 1. Force account authority is updated each fiscal year based off the construction index. The construction index has decreased by 1.1%, so there is not an increase to the force accounts threshold for 2026-2027. The current thresholds for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, for townships under R.C. 5517.02 are:

• Bid Limit: $114,440

• Per Mile: $38,147

Township officials should reference ODOT’s website.

If the estimated cost of a project exceeds the statutory thresholds, the township may not proceed using force account and must instead utilize a bidding contract.

Note: The competitive bidding threshold for calendar year 2026 is $79,568.