In announcing his call for bidders Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the first year of work on the project would be paid for through a loan from the state's general fund - a loan that would be paid for next spring, should state Treasurer Bill Lockyer agree to issue bonds to cover the overall cost of the project.

Lockyer has been unwilling to issue those bonds so far because of a lawsuit filed against Schwarzenegger by members of the state Legislature. Those legislators, including San Rafael Assemblyman Jared Huffman, say the governor acted outside the law when he vetoed a bill that would have required the state to answer several questions about the new death row complex before approving the funds to build it.

"What the governor is really trying to do is get the state a little bit pregnant with this terrible project, so the next governor has no choice but to finish it," Huffman said. "The fact that the governor is thumbing his nose at pending litigation over the legality of his ability to pursue this project is something to be considered. We hope the governor will come to his senses."

Spokesmen for the governor have argued that Schwarzenegger was well within his rights both to veto the Huffman bill and to launch the death row construction project Thursday, lawsuit or no lawsuit.

"We believe it's a clear-cut issue," spokesman H.D. Palmer said Wednesday. "The California Supreme Court has affirmed that the executive branch has the authority to reduce items of appropriation in the manner that the governor did last year."

The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is seeking bids on two phases of the project. The first, due at 2 p.m. Oct. 5, would include demolishing existing buildings and installing utilities.

The second, due Aug. 30, 2011, would include installation of an emergency generator, improvements to the Interstate 580 off-ramp, and construction of three stacked housing units and six guard towers. Each housing unit would include 180 cells, showers, counseling rooms and a kitchen.

Work on the first phase of the project would begin Nov. 5. The entire project is scheduled for completion on June 25, 2013. A spokesman for the Department of Corrections said she had no estimate as to the number of bids the department expects to receive.

"We've never built a condemned inmate complex before," spokeswoman Terry Thornton said.

The Department of Corrections estimates construction of the new complex would employ about 6,000 workers, while the complex itself would employ 570 to 648 people upon completion.