<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gsf" article_name="State Finance and Procurement" number="14-409" title_number="14" title_name="Preferences" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Purchasing Preferences">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “aggregate” means gravel, crushed stone, sand, and other similar materials.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A State or local unit responsible for the maintenance of public lands in the State, to the maximum extent practicable, shall give consideration and preference to the use of compost in any land maintenance activity that is to be paid for with public funds.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>It is the goal of the Department of General Services to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>compost, to the extent practicable, all landscape waste on State property that is under its operation for use as fertilizer in landscaping activities; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>increase the percentage of landscaped area fertilized by compost each year.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In purchasing compost, mulch, or other soil amendments or aggregate, each unit of State government shall include in its procurement specifications the specifications published by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee for compost, mulch, or other soil amendments or aggregate under paragraph (3) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection apply if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the products are competitively priced;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the quality of the products is satisfactory for the intended purposes; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the products are readily available.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Maryland Green Purchasing Committee, established under § 14–410 of this subtitle, shall establish specifications for purchasing of compost, mulch, or other soil amendments or aggregate produced from municipal solid waste, food waste, dredged material, construction waste, yard waste, clean wood waste, or other recycled or organic materials.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The specifications established under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall be published and maintained online by the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee for use by State agencies.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
