Marvin Mandel, Governor                            129

sultants as may be approved by the Secretary of General Services and
provided in the budget.

20.

Wherever used in this subtitle, the term "public improvement"
shall include the construction, maintenance and repair of any and
every building, structure or other public work now owned or here-
after constructed or acquired by the State of Maryland or any
department, officer, board, commission or agency thereof, including
any such public work acquired or constructed pursuant to Article
77A, Sections 15 through 27 AD, or constructed or acquired in whole
or in part with State funds; except that nothing in this subtitle
shall apply to public improvements made by the State Roads Com-
mission of Maryland, housing authorities created pursuant to Article
44A of the Code of Public General Laws, Maryland—National Capi-
tal Park and Planning Commission, Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission, Baltimore County metropolitan district, Anne Arundel
County sanitary commission, or any county, the City of Baltimore,
any other incorporated town or city, or any agency thereof. The
Board of Public Works is authorized in its discretion to exempt
specific projects of other departments or agencies of the State from
the provisions of this subtitle.

21.

The Department of [Public Improvements] General Services
shall have supervision over and advise the Board of Public Works
and other State departments or agencies, except those exempted in
Section 20 of this article, in connection with all engineering ques-
tions and matters pertaining to any and all public improvements,
and all contracts, plans and specifications for any and all public
improvements involving any engineering question shall be sub-
mitted to said Department and be subject to its approval.

22.

In addition to the general duties and powers assigned to the De-
partment of [Public Improvements] General Services by Section 21
above, said Department shall:

(1)    Assist and advise the Board of Public Works and other State
departments and agencies on all matters of engineering, surveys,
plans, specifications and contracts for public improvements and land
acquisition that may come before said Board or in which such depart-
ment or agency may be interested;

(2)    Select and appoint architects and engineers to prepare plans
and specifications for all public improvements, such appointments to
be subject, however, to the approval of the Board of Public Works,
and all such architects and engineers shall be subject to the rules
and regulations of the Department of [Public Improvements] Gen-
eral Services ;

(3)    Examine and approve all plans and specifications prepared
in connection with the preparation and execution of all contracts for
all public improvements;