MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

2739

ADMINISTRATION, when about to construct [any highway,] A
HIGHWAY, THE COST OF WHICH WILL EXCEED $25,000, shall
advertise for at least two weeks in one or more
newspapers published in each county in which the highway
lies, and for three consecutive issues in at least one
daily newspaper published in Baltimore City, for sealed
proposals for the construction of [said] THE highway,
accurately describing the same and stating the time and
place for opening [said] THE proposals, and reserving the
right to reject any and all proposals; [said] THE
proposals shall be publicly opened at the time specified
in [said] THE advertisement, and the contract for [such]
THE work or for the supplies and materials required for
[such] THE construction shall be awarded by the
[Commission] ADMINISTRATION to the lowest responsible
bidder, unless in the opinion of [said Commission] THE
ADMINISTRATION the interests of the State [shall] WILL be
better served by awarding the contract to some other
bidder, when this may be done. [All such work which
shall be done by the said Commission, whether on State
roads, county roads or municipal streets, the labor and
materials of which are estimated to cost over six
thousand five hundred dollars ($6,500.00) shall be
advertised as aforesaid, except such] THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THIS SECTION DO NOT APPLY TO THE COST OF ANY labor and
materials as may be required from time to time to
maintain the various roads to the width and cross
section, as previously or originally constructed. The
construction and improvement of all State highways or
parts thereof shall be under the supervision and subject
to the approval of the [said Commission,] ADMINISTRATION,
in accordance with the plans and specifications prepared
by the chief engineer and approved by [said Commission.]
THE ADMINISTRATION. In all cases where the contract for
work and materials [shall be] IS given out after
competitive bidding the successful bidder shall promptly
execute a formal contract to be approved as to its form,
terms and conditions by [said Commission,] THE
ADMINISTRATION, and shall also execute and deliver to
[said Commission] THE ADMINISTRATION a good and
sufficient bond to be approved by [said Commission] THE
ADMINISTRATION to the State of Maryland in not less than
the amount of the contract price. In no case shall any
[such] bond be approved or accepted unless the obligors
bind themselves therein to the payment of all just debts
for labor and materials incurred by the bidder in the
construction and improvement of the road contracted for.
To all [such] bids there shall be attached the certified
check of the bidder, or a cashier's or treasurer's check
drawn upon a bank, and the bidder who has the contract
awarded to him and who fails to promptly and properly
execute the contract and bond shall forfeit the [said]
contract. The [said] check shall be taken and
considered as liquidated damages, and not a penalty, for