4                                           LAWS OF MARYLAND                               Ch. 1

1.

The Board of Public Works, as constituted under Article
XII of the Constitution, [and § 196 of Article 41,] shall
have and exercise such powers and duties as may be delegated
to it from time to time in regard to the creation of State
debt, the fixing of interest thereon, the terms and
conditions thereof, the preparation of certificates of
indebtedness and the advertising and sale thereof. All
contracts for the expenditure of the proceeds of any loan
authorized by any act of the General Assembly shall be
subject to the approval of [said] THE Board before [the
same] THEY are executed, UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW.

7.

(1) The Board of Public Works shall in like manner
supervise the expenditure of all sums appropriated for the
acquisition of land, buildings, equipment, new construction
and other capital expenditures, except in connection with
State roads, bridges and highways, whether made through the
medium of a budget bill, a supplementary appropriation bill
or a State bond issue bill, and all contracts for the
expenditure [thereof] OF SUMS SO APPROPRIATED shall be
subject to the approval of [said] THE Board before [the
same] THEY are executed, after review by the Secretary of
General Services. THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS MAY ADOPT
REGULATIONS, SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE JOINT STANDING
COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE, EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE
REVIEW, BY WHICH STATE DEPARTMENTS, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS,
INSTITUTIONS, OR OTHER AGENCIES MAY ENTER INTO CAPITAL
PROJECT RELATED CONTRACTS AND CHANGE ORDERS PRIOR TO OR
WITHOUT BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS APPROVAL, PROVIDED (I) THAT
THE SUBJECT MATTER OF EACH CONTRACT FALLS WITHIN AN
EXPENDITURE CLASSIFICATION ESTABLISHED FOR THIS PURPOSE BY
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, (II) THAT THE AGGREGATE ANNUAL
DOLLAR VALUE OF EACH CONTRACT AND ITS ATTENDANT CHANGE
ORDERS IS LESS THAN A MONETARY THRESHOLD ESTABLISHED FOR THE
APPLICABLE EXPENDITURE CLASSIFICATION BY THE BOARD OF PUBLIC
WORKS, (III) THAT THE MONETARY THRESHOLDS BE SUFFICIENTLY
HIGH TO FREE THE BOARD FROM DIRECT REVIEW OF RELATIVELY
INSIGNIFICANT ITEMS WHILE NOT IMPAIRING THE STRONG PUBLIC
POLICY IN FAVOR OF DIRECT BOARD REVIEW OF ITEMS HAVING A
SUBSTANTIAL FISCAL IMPACT, AND (IV) THAT AN ACCOUNTABILITY
OR REPORTING SYSTEM APPROVED BY THE BOARD IS ESTABLISHED TO
INFORM THE BOARD WITH RESPECT TO ACTIONS TAKEN BY AGENCIES
UNDER AUTHORITIES GRANTED THEM BY THE BOARD. Except as may
be otherwise permitted by other provisions of law regarding
emergencies, all State construction contracts in excess of
$10,000 shall be awarded on a competitive basis. However,
the Board of Public Works may approve the award of such
contracts to other than the lowest bidder if the Board
determines that to be in the best interest of the State.

(6) The Board may waive the requirements of paragraph
(1) of this section as to awarding [such] OF contracts on A
competitive basis if: