Ch. 252                                        1995 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(II) UNACCEPTABLE DELAYS IN FULFILLING THE AUTHORITY'S
NEEDS.

(E)     IF THE AUTHORITY USES PROCEDURES OTHER THAN COMPETITIVE
PROCEDURES TO PROCURE PROPERTY, SERVICES OR CONSTRUCTION UNDER
SUBSECTION (C)(2) OF THIS SECTION, THE AUTHORITY SHALL REQUEST OFFERS
FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS IS PRACTICABLE UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.

(F)      (1) TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY IN CONTRACTING, THE
AUTHORITY MAY USE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASES OF
PROPERTY, SERVICES, AND CONSTRUCTION.

(2)      FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION, SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION
PROCEDURES MAY BE USED FOR PURCHASES FOR AN AMOUNT THAT DOES NOT
EXCEED THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD ADOPTED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.

(3)      A PROPOSED PURCHASE OR CONTRACT FOR AN AMOUNT ABOVE
THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD MAY NOT BE DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL
PURCHASES OR CONTRACTS FOR LESSER AMOUNTS IN ORDER TO USE THE
PROCEDURES UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION.

(4)      IN USING SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES, THE AUTHORITY
SHALL PROMOTE COMPETITION TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE.

(G)     THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT
THIS SECTION. THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SHALL PROVIDE FOR PUBLICATION
OF NOTICE OF PROCUREMENTS AND OTHER ACTIONS DESIGNED TO SECURE
COMPETITION WHERE COMPETITIVE PROCEDURES ARE USED.

(H) THE AUTHORITY IN ITS DISCRETION MAY REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS OR
PROPOSALS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO A SOLICITATION.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act may not take
effect until similar Acts are passed by the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of
Virginia; that the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia are requested
to concur in this Act of the General Assembly by the passage of substantially similar Acts;
that the Department of Legislative Reference shall notify the appropriate officials of the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States Congress of
the passage of this Act; and that, upon the concurrence in this Act by the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States, the Governor of the
State of Maryland shall issue a proclamation declaring this Act valid and effective and
shall forward a copy of the proclamation to the Director of the Department of Legislative
Reference.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the amendments made
by this Act are severable. Thus, should any proposed Compact Amendment passed
pursuant to this Act be rejected by another jurisdiction, the remaining Compact
Amendments may still be enacted into law.

- 2080 -