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<section article="gsf" article_name="State Finance and Procurement" number="17-706" title_number="17" title_name="Special Provisions -- State and Local Subdivisions" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Investment Activities in Iran">
  <text>** CONTINGENCY – IN EFFECT – CHAPTERS 446 AND 447 OF 2012 **</text>
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If a public body, using credible information available to the public, determines that a person has submitted a false certification under § 17–705(a)(1) of this subtitle, the public body shall provide written notice to the person and an opportunity for the person to demonstrate in writing that the person is not engaged in investment activities in Iran.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the person fails to demonstrate to the public body within 90 days after the public body provides notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection that the person is not engaged in investment activities in Iran, the public body shall report to the Board and the Attorney General:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the name of the person determined to have submitted a false certification; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the information on which the public body made its decision.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Attorney General may institute an action against a person determined to have submitted a false certification under § 17–705(a)(1) of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An action brought under this section shall be brought within 3 years from the date the certification is made.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If, in an action brought under this section, a court determines that a person submitted a false certification:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the person shall pay all reasonable costs and fees incurred in the civil action, including:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>any costs incurred by the public body for the investigation that led to the finding of the false certification; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>all reasonable costs and fees incurred by the Attorney General in bringing the action;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the court may impose a civil penalty equal to the greater of $1,000,000 or twice the amount of the contract for which the false certification was submitted;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the public body may terminate the contract for which the false certification was submitted; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the person is ineligible to bid on a contract with a public body for a period of 3 years from the date of the court order.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an unsuccessful bidder or any other person may not protest the award of a contract or contract renewal on the basis of a false certification.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not prohibit a public body from filing a protest objecting to the award of a contract or contract renewal on the basis of a false certification.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>This subtitle does not create or authorize a private right of action.</text>
  </level>
</section>
