§ 133-28.  Civil damages; liability; statute of limitations.

(a) Any governmental agency entering into a contract which is or has been the subject of a conspiracy prohibited by G.S. 75-1 or 75-2 shall have a right of action against the participants in the conspiracy to recover damages, as provided herein. The governmental agency shall have the option to proceed jointly and severally in a civil action against any one or more of the participants for recovery of the full amount of the damages. There shall be no right to contribution among participants not named defendants by the governmental agency.

(b) At the election of the governmental agency, the measure of damages recoverable under this section shall be either the actual damages or ten percent (10%) of the contract price which shall be trebled as provided in G.S. 75-16.

(c) The cause of action shall accrue at the time of discovery of the conspiracy by the governmental agency which entered into the contract.  The action shall be brought within six years of the date of accrual of the cause of action. (1981, c. 764, s. 1; 1993, c. 441.)