Article 25 - County Commissioners

3.

(1) (1) (I) To provide for competitive bidding for any county work and the
making and awarding of contracts for the purchase of materials and supplies in
excess of $15,000 and to require bonds in connection with the work or contracts,
regardless of the amount, whenever the County Commissioners consider it proper to
require a bond; and if no bids are submitted in response to any request for bids, to
place the order in a manner that the County Commissioners consider appropriate.

(II) IN FREDERICK COUNTY, TO PROVIDE FOR COMPETITIVE
BIDDING FOR ANY COUNTY WORK AND THE MAKING AND AWARDING OF CONTRACTS
FOR THE PURCHASE OF MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES IN EXCESS OF $50,000 $30,000 AND
TO REQUIRE BONDS IN CONNECTION WITH THE WORK OR CONTRACTS, REGARDLESS
OF THE AMOUNT, WHENEVER THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONSIDER IT PROPER
TO REQUIRE A BOND; AND IF NO BIDS ARE SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO ANY
REQUEST FOR BIDS, TO PLACE THE ORDER IN A MANNER THAT THE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS CONSIDER APPROPRIATE.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1)(I) of this subsection are not
applicable in Somerset County with regard solely to contracting for the services of an
architectural and/or engineering firm for design and/or consultation purposes. With
regard to contracting for other county work these provisions are applicable.

(3) The provisions of paragraph (1)(II) of this subsection are not
applicable in Frederick County with regard solely to contracting for the services of an
architectural, engineering, or consultant firm for design or consultation purposes. In
Frederick County, contracts for architectural and engineering services costing more
than $15,000 $30,000, shall be awarded on a competitive basis which shall consist of
either sealed competitive bids or competitive negotiation. "Competitive negotiation"
means a process that includes the submission of written technical and price proposals
from two or more sources and a written evaluation of those proposals in accordance
with evaluation criteria.

(4) The provisions of paragraph (1)(I) of this subsection are not
applicable in Charles County with regard to contracting for any professional services.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1999.

Approved May 13, 1999.