<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<chapter num="01" heading="Qualification and Duties" title_num="21" subtitle_num="06">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Responsible and Responsive.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>If a procurement officer determines that a person is not a responsible bidder or offeror, or that the bid is nonresponsive, the procurement officer shall include that determination in the procurement file.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>A procurement officer may find that a person is not a responsible bidder or offeror for:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Unreasonable failure to supply information promptly in connection with a determination of responsibility under this chapter; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Any other reason indicating that the person does not have:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>The capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>The integrity and reliability that will assure good faith performance.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Disclosure of Information.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 6, shall govern any request for the disclosure of information related to a procurement.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Confidential, proprietary information, and trade secrets furnished by a bidder or offeror under this chapter may be disclosed to another State agency only if there is a demonstrated need for the information and may not be disclosed outside of State government except as provided by State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 6, or as provided by this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>Duty Not to Disclose Information.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>After a solicitation for bids under COMAR 21.05.02 or for proposals under COMAR 21.05.03 or 21.12.02 — 21.12.05 is issued and until a procurement officer makes a recommendation for award of the contract, the procurement officer may disclose information only as set forth in COMAR 21.05.01.05.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Before bid opening:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Bids shall remain sealed; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>The procurement officer may not disclose the name of any person who has submitted a bid.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Before a procurement officer makes a recommendation for award of the contract, a procurement officer may not disclose the name of any person who has submitted a proposal.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>Before awarding a procurement contract based on competitive sealed proposals, a procurement officer may not disclose the contents of a proposal to any person other than a person responsible for evaluating or reviewing the proposal, or approving the contract award, except as permitted by State Finance and Procurement Article, §13-105, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>Duty to Disclose Information. Subject to the provisions of State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 6:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>A summary of the final evaluation of a proposal shall be open to public inspection;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>After an award, all proposals shall be open to public inspection; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>At and after bid opening, the contents of a bid and any document submitted with the bid shall be open to public inspection.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="E.">
      <text>Records of Evaluators. A procurement officer may deny public access to the advisory or deliberative records of any evaluator of a proposal if the records would not be available by law to a party in litigation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="F.">
      <text>Discoverability During Proceedings. The provisions of this chapter do not affect the authority of the Board of Contract Appeals or a court of competent jurisdiction:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>To decide that information is discoverable in an administrative or judicial proceeding; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>To compel disclosure of that information.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">State Finance and Procurement Article, §§12-101, 13-202, 13-206, and 13-210, Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: July 1, 1981 (8:13 Md. R. II-5)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Chapter revised effective January 9, 1989 (15:27 Md. R. 3138)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .02C amended as an emergency provision effective April 7, 1989 (16:8 Md. R. 906); amended permanently effective June 26, 1989 (16:12 Md. R. 1338)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .02C amended effective October 2, 2000 (27:19 Md. R. 1730); April 7, 2008 (35:7 Md. R. 751)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>