HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                    9

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
read(s) as follows:

Article 21 - Procurement

3-504.

(a)  Each bidder or offeror FOR A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT
shall give a bid bond if the {contract price is estimated by
the procurement officer to exceed] BID OR OFFER EXCEEDS
$25,000. BID BONDS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR ANY OTHER
PROCUREMENT OVER $25,000, AS DETERMINED BY THE PROCUREMENT
OFFICER. The bid bond shall be provided by a surety company
authorized to do business in this State, or the equivalent
in cash, or in a form satisfactory to the procurement
officer.

(b)  The bid bond shall be in an amount equal to at
least 5 percent of the amount of the bid or price proposal
EXCEPT THAT, FOR CONTRACTS INVOLVING INDEFINITE QUANTITIES
BIDS STATING A RATE BUT NOT A TOTAL COST, THE BID BOND SHALL
BE IN AN AMOUNT AS DETERMINED BY THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER.

(c)  If the invitation for bids or request for
proposals require that a bid bond be provided, a bidder or
offeror that does not comply shall be, rejected.

(d)  Once opened, bids or price proposals are
irrevocable for the period specified in the invitation for
bids or the request for proposal except as provided in §
3-202(h) of this article. However, if a bidder or offeror is
permitted to withdraw his bid or proposal before award
because of a mistake in the bid or proposal, no action shall
be taken against his bid bond.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is
hereby declared to be an emergency measure and necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public health and safety
and having been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by
three-fifths of all the members elected to each of the two
Houses of the General Assembly, the same shall take effect
from the date of its passage.

Approved March 11, 1982.

CHAPTER 4
(Senate Bill 432)
AN ACT concerning