Article I. General Provisions
6.15.010 Authority, rules of construction, and purposes.
(a) Authority and Construction. The procurement regulations (“regulations”) codified in this chapter are issued pursuant to the Public Utilities Article, § 17-403, Annotated Code of Maryland. Further, the regulations codified in this chapter are subject to all relevant provisions of: the Public Utilities Article, Annotated Code of Maryland; the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) Delegation of Authority (adopted May 10, 2010, effective July 1, 2010), including subdelegations by the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer; the WSSC Code of Ethics (as amended) (WSSC Chapter 1.70); any and all amendments and revisions to the Public Utilities Article, Delegation of Authority and Code of Ethics that may be enacted or adopted from time to time; and any generally accepted interpretation of the foregoing authorities by a court or by the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. All of the aforementioned may be hereinafter collectively or individually referred to as the “legal authorities.” To the extent any provision of this chapter conflicts in any manner with the legal authorities, the legal authorities shall control.
(b) Purposes and Policies. The underlying purposes and policies of this chapter are:
(1) Streamlining. To simplify, clarify, and modernize the regulations governing procurement by WSSC;
(2) Continuous Improvement. To permit the continued development of procurement policies and practices by WSSC;
(3) Consistency. To promote consistency with and among the procurement laws and regulations of WSSC;
(4) Confidence. To provide for increased public confidence in the procedures followed in public procurement;
(5) Equity. To ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all persons who deal with the procurement system of WSSC;
(6) Cost Effectiveness. To provide increased economy in WSSC procurement activities and to maximize the purchasing value of public funds entrusted to WSSC to the fullest extent practicable;
(7) Competition. To foster effective broad-based competition within the free enterprise system;
(8) Integrity. To provide safeguards for the maintenance of a procurement system of quality and integrity; and
(9) Transparent Efficiency. To obtain in a transparent, cost-effective, and responsive manner the goods and supplies, services, professional services, architectural and engineering services, and construction services required by WSSC to better serve all rate payers in the Washington Suburban Sanitary District. (Procurement regulations § 1-101, dated August 1, 2012)