HARRY HUGHES, Governor

1833

(II)  THIS NOTICE SHALL BE REASONABLE IN TERMS
OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCUREMENT BUT SHALL BE GIVEN AT LEAST 10
DAYS BEFORE GENERAL EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST ARE DUE.

(III)  THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER SHALL REQUIRE
THAT GENERAL EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST BE IN WRITING.

(2)  (I) IF THE PROCUREMENT AGENCY EXPECTS TO AWARD 1
OR MORE SERVICE CONTRACTS, EACH INVOLVING PAYMENT BY THE STATE TO
THE SERVICE PROVIDER OF MORE THAN $25,000, OR A LOWER THRESHOLD
AMOUNT AS SET BY THE BOARD BY REGULATION, THE REQUEST FOR GENERAL
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST SHALL INDICATE THIS FACT .

(II) THE REQUEST AND SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN THE
MARYLAND REGISTER.

(3)  IN ADDITION TO ANY NOTICE REQUIRED BY PARAGRAPH
(2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, PUBLIC NOTICE OF A REQUEST FOR
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST MAY BE GIVEN BY POSTING ON A BID BOARD,
BY DIRECT SOLICITATION OF POTENTIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, BY
PUBLICATION IN NEWSPAPERS, PERIODICALS, AND TRADE JOURNALS, AND
BY ANY OTHER MEANS CALCULATED TO REACH POTENTIAL SERVICE
PROVIDERS.

(C) (D) (C) (1) TO SATISFY ALL OR PART OF THE STATE'S
REQUIREMENTS, AS THEY OCCUR AND WITHOUT ADDITIONAL ADVERTISING,
THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER MAY CONDUCT DISCUSSIONS WITH ANY

RESPONSIBLE SERVICE PROVIDER THAT SUBMITS ACCEPTABLE OR

POTENTIALLY ACCEPTABLE EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST, AS DETERMINED BY
THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER. ELIGIBLE SERVICE PROVIDERS SHALL BE
ACCORDED HAS SUBMITTED AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST. AS FAR AS
PRACTICABLE IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING A PROGRAM, THE
PROCUREMENT AGENCY SHALL ACCORD ALL RESPONSIBLE SERVICE PROVIDERS
THAT HAVE SUBMITTED EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FAIR AND EQUAL
TREATMENT WITH RESPECT TO DISCUSSIONS.

(2) THE PROCUREMENT AGENCY MAY MAKE AN AWARD IF THE
PROCUREMENT AGENCY HEAD, ON THE BASIS OF PENDING DISCUSSIONS OR
PAST PROGRAM EXPERIENCE, DETERMINES THAT AN AWARD WILL SERVE THE
STATE'S BEST INTEREST. IF SERVICES UNDER THE CONTRACT TO BE
AWARDED ARE FUNDED IN PART, BY LEGISLATIVE MANDATE OR PRIOR
AGREEMENT, BY A COUNTY OR BALTIMORE CITY, THE PROCUREMENT AGENCY
SHALL ESTABLISH PROCEDURES TO SOLICIT AND CONSIDER THE WRITTEN
COMMENTS OF THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL OR HIS DESIGNEE OF THE

COUNTY OR BALTIMORE CITY IN DETERMINING THE STATE'S BEST

INTEREST. COMMENTS SHALL BE DUE WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF

THE SOLICITATION. AWARD OF A CONTRACT IS SUBJECT TO ALL APPROVALS
REQUIRED BY LAW OR REGULATION.

(D) THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND FISCAL PLANNING, IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE PROCUREMENT AGENCIES THAT
PROCURE HUMAN, EDUCATIONAL OR SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE PERSONS
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (A) BY THE SOURCES SELECTION METHOD SET
FORTH IN THIS SECTION OR BY ANOTHER COMPETITIVE METHOD AUTHORIZED
UNDER THIS TITLE SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE RENEWAL