1308                                LAWS OF MARYLAND                         [CH. 558

visions, and any such political subdivision shall constitute a "public

body" within the meaning of the subtitle when the Secretary of

State is notified in writing by the governing body that such action

has been taken.

99.

(a) Any prospective bidder or his representative, any repre-
sentative of any group of employers engaged in the particular type
of construction involved, any representative of any classification of
workmen, or the public body, within ten (10) days after the call for

bids on the public work involved, may file with the Commissioner a

verified petition, which sets forth the facts upon which it is based

to review the determination of any prevailing wage rate or rates.

Within two (2) days thereafter a copy of the petition shall be filed

with the public body authorizing the public work. The Commis-

sioner, upon notice to the petitioner, the public body authorizing the
public work, and the recognized collective bargaining representatives
for the particular classifications involved, and also to all persons en-

titled to receive notice pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 98

hereof, shall institute an investigation and hold a public hearing

within twenty (20) days after the filing of such petition. The

Commissioner at his discretion may hear each petition separately or
consolidate for hearing any two or more petitions. At the hearing
the Commissioner shall introduce in evidence the investigation it

instituted and the other facts which were considered at the time of

the original determination which formed the basis for his deter-

mination. The Commissioner or any interested parties thereafter

may introduce any evidence that is material to the issues. Within

ten (10) days of the conclusion of the hearing, the Commissioner
shall make a determination and transmit it, in writing, to the public
body and to the interested parties. Such determination shall be final.

(b) Upon receipt by the public body of the notice of the filing of

such petition, the public body awarding the contract shall extend

the closing date for the submission of bids until five (5) days after

the determination of the prevailing wage rates pursuant to this
section and the publication of such findings.