HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3075

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission over drainage
systems is not applicable in Montgomery County, with the
exception of that portion of the City of Takoma Park now
situated in Montgomery County.

3-2. Competitive bidding and construction generally.

(a)  Whenever the plans and specifications for water
supply, sewerage or drainage systems for any district have
been completed and the commission has decided, after
opportunity for a hearing has been given, to proceed with
the construction, the commission shall advertise, by notice
in newspapers and technical press as it considers proper,
for bids for the construction of the system or systems, in
parts or as a whole, as in its judgment appear advisable.
The contract shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder,
or the commission may reject any or all bids. If in its
discretion the prices quoted are unreasonable, the
commission may readvertise the work or any part of it, or
may do any part or all of the work by day labor. At any
time the commission may, in its discretion, expend by day
labor for construction work an amount not exceeding $15,000
without advertising or receiving bids. The commission, by
resolution and implementing regulations, may establish a
mandatory minority business utilizaton policy to facilitate
the participation of responsible minority business firms in
contracts awarded by the commission in accordance with
competitive bidding procedures. After the 2-year period of
any program established, the commission shall issue a report
concerning the implementation and administration of the
program together with any appropriate recommendations. For
the purpose of this subsection, "minority business firm"
means a business firm at least 50 percent of which is owned
by minority group members, or, in the case of a publicly
owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is
owned by minority group members. "Minority group members"
includes females, blacks (not of Hispanic origin),
Hispanics, American Indians, Alaskan natives, Asians, and
Pacific Islanders.

(b)  All contracts may be protected by bonds,
penalties, and conditions required by the commission, all of
which are enforceable in any court having jurisdiction.

3-3. Construction, etc., of private or municipal system.

After June 1, 1953, whenever a municipality or the
property owners or residents of any locality in the sanitary
district shall desire a water supply, sewerage or drainage
system, or part thereof, to be constructed in that
municipality or locality, and the commission shall decide
that it is inexpedient or impracticable at the time, owing
to remoteness from its general system or other cause, to
build such system, such municipality or persons may build
and operate [said] THE system at its or their own expense,
but it shall be constructed under plans and specifications
submitted to and approved by [said] THE commission and its