In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. Terms Defined. “Authority” means the Maryland Transportation Authority. “Budget committees” has the meaning stated in State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Chairman” has the meaning stated in Transportation Article, §4-202(a), Annotated Code of Maryland. “Department” means the Maryland Department of Transportation and its modal administrations. “Executive” means the Executive Director of the Authority. “Industry forum” means a presolicitation information gathering event that may include public and private sector participants. “Industry review meeting” means a meeting during the solicitation process with shortlisted private entities. “Members of the Authority” means those persons that compose the Authority Board and are appointed in accordance with Transportation Article, §4-202(b), Annotated Code of Maryland. “Multistep solicitation process” means a public-private partnership solicitation process that includes some or all of the following steps: Issuance of a request for qualifications; Preproposal conference; Issuance of a draft request for proposals; Industry review meetings; and Issuance of a final request for proposals. “Private entity” has the meaning stated in State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Program” means the structure, process, methodology, and terms and conditions applicable to the Authority’s development, solicitation, evaluation, award, and delivery of transportation public infrastructure assets for which it is responsible in accordance with State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Public infrastructure asset” has the meaning stated in State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Public notice of solicitation” has the meaning stated in State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Public-private partnership” has the meaning stated in State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Public-private partnership candidate concept application” means the documentation that must be submitted to the Steering Committee to initiate and inform a high-level review of a public-private partnership concept generated from within the Authority. “Reporting agency” has the meaning stated in State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Responsibility determination” has the meaning stated in State Finance and Procurement Article, §10A-101, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Shortlisted private entity” means a private entity that has been both qualified based on its response to a request for qualifications and selected as one of the highest qualified private entities, allowing them to continue in the solicitation process. “Steering Committee” is the Authority’s Transportation Public-Private Partnership Steering Committee established to advise the Chairman and members of the Authority on the structure and implementation of the Authority’s Program and composed of Authority and other State employees identified by the Executive Director.