reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-203 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 2 - Small Business Preference Program|Section 14-203 - Qualified Businesses

    (a)    By regulation, the Secretary of General Services, the Secretary of Transportation, the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, and the President of Morgan State University each shall specify the criteria that a business must meet to qualify as a small business.    (b)    (1)    The criteria for qualification as a small business may vary among industries to reflect their particular characteristics.        (2)    Regulations adopted under this section shall include, for each class of business, the maximum number of employees a business may have to qualify as a small business.    (c)    The regulations adopted under subsection (a) of this section shall require the qualification of a business as a small business for the exclusive purpose of pursuing out–of–state contracts, if the business has:        (1)    250 or fewer employees; or        (2)    average annual gross receipts of $10,000,000 or less averaged over its most recently completed 3 fiscal years.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-204 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 2 - Small Business Preference Program|Section 14-204 - Procedures

    The Secretary of General Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland each shall adopt regulations to establish procedures for:         (1)    compiling and maintaining a comprehensive bidder’s list of small businesses;        (2)    locating potential sources for various construction related services, supplies, and services and affirmatively seeking to locate potential minority business enterprise sources for those construction related services, supplies, and services;        (3)    helping small businesses to comply with the procedures for bidding on procurement contracts;        (4)    examining requests for construction related services, supplies, and services to determine when an invitation for bids may be designated for the Small Business Preference Program;        (5)    bidding for a procurement contract designated for a small business preference;        (6)    simplifying procurement specifications and terms, to increase the opportunities for small business participation;        (7)    investigating the responsibility of bidders on small business preferences; and        (8)    explaining to a small business the reason for which its bid for a small business preference was rejected.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-205 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 2 - Small Business Preference Program|Section 14-205 - Duty of Department of Commerce

    The Department of Commerce shall help the Secretaries of General Services and Transportation and the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland in establishing procedures to carry out § 14–204(1) and (2) of this subtitle.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-206 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 2 - Small Business Preference Program|Section 14-206 - Percentage Preference Established

    (a)    In this section, “percentage preference” means the percent of the lowest responsive bid submitted by a responsible bidder who is not a small business by which a responsive bid by a small business may:        (1)    exceed the lowest bid; and        (2)    be awarded a procurement contract under this subtitle.    (b)    Subject to the approval of the Board, the Secretary of General Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland each:        (1)    shall establish a percentage preference, not to exceed 8%, for each industry as follows:            (i)    a base percentage preference not to exceed 5% for all small businesses; and            (ii)    two additional preferences to the percentage preference set forth in item (i) of this paragraph as follows:                1.    2% for veteran–owned small businesses; and                2.    3% for disabled veteran–owned small businesses; and        (2)    may vary the percentage preference determined in item (1)(i) of this subsection among industries to account for their particular characteristics.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-207 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 2 - Small Business Preference Program|Section 14-207 - Special Procedures for Source Selection

    (a)    The Secretary of General Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland each may designate, for the Small Business Preference Program, procurement of certain supplies, services, or construction related services that have been requested through or with the approval of the Secretary or Chancellor.    (b)    The invitation for bids on a procurement that has been designated for a small business preference shall be sent to small businesses and regular bidders to establish a reasonable price range commensurate with current market conditions.    (c)    The Secretary of General Services, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland shall award a procurement contract designated for a small business preference to the small business that:        (1)    is a responsible bidder; and        (2)    submits the lowest responsive bid from a small business if the difference between that bid and the lowest responsive bid submitted by a responsible bidder who is not a small business does not exceed the percentage preference established under § 14-206 of this subtitle.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-304 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 3 - Minority Business Participation|Section 14-304 - Powers of Certification Agency

    // EFFECTIVE UNTIL JULY 1, 2022 PER CHAPTERS 200 AND 201 OF 2013 //    (a)    (1)    The certification agency shall develop and maintain a directory of all certified minority business enterprises.        (2)    The directory shall be accessible to the public through the Internet.        (3)    For each minority business enterprise included in the directory, the certification agency shall include the following information:            (i)    all contract information available to the certification agency for the minority business enterprise;            (ii)    the certification number and minority status of the minority business enterprise;            (iii)    contact information for up to three professional references for the minority business enterprise; and            (iv)    any other information the certification agency considers necessary or appropriate to encourage participation in the procurement process by minority business enterprises.        (4)    The certification agency shall:            (i)    update the directory at least monthly;            (ii)    identify as recently certified in the directory each minority business enterprise that has obtained certification during the calendar year; and            (iii)    include in the directory a list of all minority business enterprises that have become ineligible to participate in the Minority Business Enterprise Program because:                1.    one or more of its owners has a personal net worth that exceeds the amount specified in § 14–301(i)(3) of this subtitle; or                2.    the minority business enterprise no longer meets the standards developed under § 14–303(b)(13) of this subtitle.    (b)    In the same manner and with the same fees as provided by law in civil cases, in a matter regarding the decertification of a certified minority business enterprise, the certification agency may:        (1)    subpoena witnesses;        (2)    administer oaths; and        (3)    compel the production of records, books, papers, and other documents.    (c)    If a person fails to comply with a subpoena issued under subsection (b) of this section, or fails to produce documents or other evidence, on petition of the certification agency, a court of competent jurisdiction may pass an order directing compliance with the subpoena or compelling the production of documents or other evidence.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-305 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 3 - Minority Business Participation|Section 14-305 - Annual Reports; Information

    // EFFECTIVE UNTIL JULY 1, 2022 PER CHAPTERS 200 AND 201 OF 2013 //    (a)    (1)    Within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year, each unit shall report to the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, the certification agency, and, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Joint Committee on Fair Practices and Personnel Oversight.        (2)    A report under this subsection shall for the preceding fiscal year:            (i)    state the total number and value of procurement contracts between the unit and certified minority business enterprises, by specific category of minority business enterprise, including whether the minority business enterprise participated as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor;            (ii)    indicate the percentage that those procurement contracts represent, by specific category of minority business enterprise, of the total number and value of procurement contracts;            (iii)    state the total number and the names of certified minority business enterprises that participated as prime contractors or as subcontractors on procurement contracts awarded by a unit;            (iv)    for each minority business included in the report under item (iii) of this paragraph, list all procurement contracts awarded by a unit to the minority business enterprise, including a description of the contract; and            (v)    contain other such information as required by the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs and the certification agency and approved by the Board.        (3)    As to procurement contracts for architectural services and engineering services reported under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the report shall identify by separate category of minority business enterprise procurements for:            (i)    architectural services; and            (ii)    engineering services.        (4)    A report under this subsection shall be in a form prescribed by the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs and the certification agency and approved by the Board.    (b)    (1)    On or before December 31 of each year, the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs shall submit to the Board of Public Works and, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the Legislative Policy Committee a report summarizing the information the Office receives under subsection (a) of this section.        (2)    This report may be prepared in conjunction with the annual report required under § 9–306 of the State Government Article.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-307 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 3 - Minority Business Participation|Section 14-307 - Duty of Legislative Policy Committee

    The Legislative Policy Committee shall direct at least 1 standing committee of the House of Delegates and at least 1 standing committee of the State Senate to review annually the performance of units as reported under § 14-305 of this subtitle.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-308 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 3 - Minority Business Participation|Section 14-308 - Prohibited Acts; Penalties

    (a)    (1)    A person may not:            (i)    fraudulently obtain, hold, or attempt to obtain or hold certification;            (ii)    aid another person in performing an act prohibited under item (i) of this paragraph;            (iii)    willfully obstruct, impede, or attempt to obstruct or impede a State official or employee investigating the qualifications of a business entity that has requested certification;            (iv)    fraudulently obtain, attempt to obtain, or aid another person in fraudulently obtaining or attempting to obtain, public money to which the person is not entitled under this subtitle; or            (v)    in any minority business enterprise matter administered under this subtitle:                1.    willfully falsify, conceal, or cover up a material fact by any scheme or device;                2.    make a false or fraudulent statement or representation; or                3.    use a false writing or document that the person knows to contain a false or fraudulent statement or entry.        (2)    Except as otherwise provided by law, a contractor may not identify a certified minority business enterprise in a bid or proposal and:            (i)    fail to request, receive, or otherwise obtain authorization from the certified minority business enterprise to identify the certified minority business enterprise in its bid or proposal;            (ii)    fail to notify the certified minority business enterprise before execution of the contract of its inclusion of the bid or proposal;            (iii)    fail to use the certified minority business enterprise in the performance of the contract; or            (iv)    pay the certified minority business enterprise solely for the use of its name in the bid or proposal.        (3)    A person who violates any provision of this subsection is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or both.    (b)    (1)    A person may not make a false statement about whether an entity has certification.        (2)    A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $2,500 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.    (c)    The Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs shall make available a fraud hotline for reporting violations of this section.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-309 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 3 - Minority Business Participation|Section 14-309 - Termination of 14-301 Through 14-305 of This Subtitle

    The provisions of §§ 14–301 through 14–305 of this subtitle, and any regulations adopted under those sections, shall be of no effect and may not be enforced after July 1, 2022.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-402 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences|Section 14-402 - Paper Procurement by Department of General Services

    (a)    In this section, “recycled paper” means a paper product at least 80% of the total weight of which consists of the product of a manufacturing process that:        (1)    has converted a raw material into a valuable commodity; and        (2)    includes a total gross content of post consumer waste of at least 80%.    (b)    To the extent practicable, in procuring paper or paper products under Title 4, Subtitle 3, Part II of this article, the Secretary of General Services shall buy or approve for purchase only supplies that are produced from recycled paper.    (c)    Of the total volume of paper that the Secretary of General Services buys, at least 90% shall be recycled paper.    (d)    If recycled paper that meets the definition set forth in subsection (a) of this section is unavailable, then for purposes of complying with the requirements of this section, the Department of General Services may purchase recycled paper products that at a minimum conform to the definitions set forth in the Environmental Protection Agency guideline for federal procurement of paper and paper products containing recovered materials (40 C.F.R., Part 247).
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-403 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences|Section 14-403 - Low Noise Supplies

    (a)    To the extent practicable, each unit of the State government shall buy or lease for use by the State government supplies that are the quietest available supplies.    (b)    Supplies that are certified as low-noise-emission products under the federal Noise Control Act of 1972 are considered to meet the requirement of subsection (a) of this section.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-404 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences|Section 14-404 - Coal in Heating Systems

    (a)    In this section, “coal products” includes coal in both its synthetic and conventional forms.    (b)    This section does not apply to a building or facility for which:        (1)    the Department of the Environment determines that the use of coal products violates a provision of the Environment Article or a regulation that the Department adopts under that article; or        (2)    the Department of General Services or another appropriate unit determines that the use of coal products would not be cost effective.    (c)    The design of a heating system in a building or facility constructed after July 1, 1986 may not preclude the use of Maryland coal if:        (1)    the State provides at least 50% of the money used for construction of the building or facility; and        (2)    a determination is made that coal products will be used to fuel the heating system.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-405 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences|Section 14-405 - Percentage Price Preference for Environmentally Preferable Products or Services

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.        (2)    “Environmentally preferable product or service” means a product or service that throughout the full life cycle of the product or service:            (i)    is energy efficient, water efficient, biobased, nonozone depleting, made with recycled content, or nontoxic; or            (ii)    has other attributes recognized as environmentally preferable by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee.    (b)    (1)    To encourage the maximum purchase of environmentally preferable products and services, the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee established under § 14–410 of this subtitle shall establish environmentally preferable specifications to be adopted by State agencies.        (2)    The environmentally preferable specifications shall be published and maintained online by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee for use by State agencies.    (c)    Each State unit shall review annually the procurement specifications currently used by the unit and, to the extent practicable:        (1)    adopt the environmentally preferable specifications published by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee; and        (2)    revise the unit’s procurement specifications in accordance with § 14–410 of this subtitle.    (d)    On or before September 1 of each year, each State unit shall report to the Department of General Services on the unit’s procurement of environmentally preferable products and services as a percentage of the unit’s gross purchases during the preceding fiscal year, including the types and quantities of products and services procured.    (e)    (1)    Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, this section is broadly applicable to all procurements by the State if the quality of the product or service is consistent with the requirements of the bid specifications.        (2)    Only to the extent necessary to prevent the denial of federal money or eliminate the inconsistency with federal law, this section does not apply to a procurement by the State if the procurement officer determines that compliance with this section would:            (i)    cause denial of federal money; or            (ii)    be inconsistent with the requirements of federal law.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-406 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences|Section 14-406 - Preference for Mercury Free Products and Equipment

    (a)    In this section, “preference” includes:        (1)    a percentage price preference; and        (2)    any other provision that favors products or equipment that are mercury free or that contain the least amount of mercury necessary to meet product or equipment performance standards over other products.    (b)    Beginning October 1, 2003, all State agencies shall give preference to products and equipment that are mercury free or contain the least amount of mercury necessary to meet product or equipment performance standards.    (c)    This section does not apply to a contract or procurement agreement in effect on October 1, 2001.    (d)    The Board may adopt regulations to implement this section.
MD. State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §  14-407 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|State Finance and Procurement|Division II - General Procurement Law|Title 14 - Preferences|Subtitle 4 - Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences|Section 14-407 - Percentage Price Preference for Locally Grown Foods

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.        (2)    “Locally grown food” means food grown in the State.        (3)    “Percentage price preference” means the percent by which a responsive bid from a responsible bidder whose product is a locally grown food may exceed the lowest responsive bid submitted by a responsible bidder whose product is not a locally grown food.    (b)    The Board shall adopt regulations that require State schools and facilities to establish a percentage price preference, not to exceed 5%, for the purchase of locally grown food.    (c)    A percentage price preference under this section may not be used in conjunction with any other percentage price preference established under this title.    (d)    Each State school and facility shall review the procurement specifications currently used and, to the extent practicable, require the use of a percentage price preference in their purchase of locally grown food.    (e)    (1)    Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, this section is broadly applicable to all procurements by State schools and facilities if the locally grown food is consistent with the requirements of the bid specification.        (2)    Only to the extent necessary to prevent the denial of federal money or eliminate the inconsistency with federal law, this section does not apply to a procurement by a State school or facility if it is determined that compliance with this section would:            (i)    cause denial of federal money; or            (ii)    be inconsistent with the requirements of federal law.