108 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 64

23. Every department, board, commission, bureau, divi-
sion, institution and agency of this State, hereinafter called
the using authorities, shall purchase all materials, supplies
and equipment, through or with the approval of the Director.
It shall be the duty of the Director to prescribe rules and reg-
ulations under which estimates of the needs of using authori-
ties shall be submitted, and requisition made, and under which
contracts for purchases may be made.

The Director shall determine and formulate standards of
all materials, supplies and equipment to be purchased for the
using authorities of the State.

It shall be the duty of the Director to contract for or pur-
chase all materials, supplies, and equipment, except those
which the Director may determine are of a strictly perishable
character, or which the Director may determine it is im-
practicable for the using authorities to purchase through or
with the approval of the Director, or which may be purchased
by using authorities under the authority and with the ap-
proval of the Director.

Estimates of the amount and quality of materials, sup-
plies and equipment needed by the using authorities shall
be submitted at such periods as may be prescribed by the Di-
rector. When purchases are made through competitive bid-
ding, the Director may require the successful bidder to furnish
a bond to the State, with good and sufficient surety, condi-
tioned that he will fully and faithfully perform the terms of
the contract. The penalty of all such bonds shall be deter-
mined by the Director.

No invoices for materials, supplies or equipment purchased
by the Director or the using authorities, shall be paid until
such invoices shall have received the approval of the Director.
It shall be unlawful for any using authorities whose salaries
and expenses are paid from the fees of his office to pay any con-
tractor or seller for articles of any kind, unless the invoice
approved by Mm is also approved by the Director. Any vio-
lation of this provision shall be cause for removal by the
Governor.

24. Neither the Director nor any employee of the Depart-
ment of Budget and Procurement shall be interested in or in
any manner connected with, directly or indirectly, any con-
tract or bid for furnishing materials, supplies or equipment to
any of the using authorities. Neither shall the Director or
any employee of the Department accept or receive from any
person to whom any contract may be awarded, directly or
indirectly, by rebate, gift or otherwise, any money or things
of value whatsoever, or any promise, obligation or contract
for future reward or compensation from any such party. If