General Information About the Board of Public Works

In order to protect and enhance the State's fiscal integrity, the Board of Public Works ensures that significant State expenditures are necessary and appropriate, fiscally responsible, fair, and lawful. In reviewing and approving capital projects, procurement contracts, and the acquisition, use, and transfer of State assets, the Board assures Marylanders that executive decisions are made responsibly and responsively.

The Constitution of 1864 established the Board of Public Works which replaced the Commissioners of Public Works and previous boards that had superintended public improvements since 1825. As Judge Alan Wilner notes in his history of the Board, "The Maryland Board of Public Works is almost unique in American government. Although some cities have such creatures or variations of it, there is nothing like it either at the federal level or among the other states."

The Board's powers and duties are set forth in the State Constitution and in the State Code. Specifically, the Board:

• Approves the expenditure of all general obligation bond funds
• Approves the expenditure of funds for capital improvements except for State roads, bridges, and highways
• Approves the sale, lease, or transfer of State real and personal property
• Controls procurement policy, adopts procurement regulations, and approves most contracts exceeding $200,000
• Approves allocation of funds paid to each county for school construction and adopts rules for the administration of the Public School Construction Program
• Preserves and protects the State's submerged lands, shoreline, and tidal wetlands and issues licenses to dredge or fill wetlands
• Debars and suspends contractors from entering into contracts with the State when the contractor has been convicted or whose participation will otherwise adversely affect the integrity of the procurement process