In all contracts, except those which involve federal-aid funds and when a preference or discrimination would be contrary to a federal law or regulation, hereafter let for state, county, city, school district, or township construction, repair, or maintenance work under any laws of this state, there shall be inserted a provision by which the contractor must give preference to the employment of bona fide North Dakota residents, as determined by section 54-01-26, with preference given first to honorably discharged disabled veterans and veterans of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 37-19.1-01, who are deemed to be qualified in the performance of that work. The preference shall not apply to engineering, superintendence, management, or office or clerical work. No contract shall be let to any person, firm, association, cooperative, corporation, or limited liability company refusing to execute an agreement containing the aforementioned provisions.
