Mandatory provision for all contracts. One of the following clauses is preferred:

1. A. Alternate Clause — Termination for Default (short form).

   “If the Contractor fails to fulfill its obligation under this contract properly and on time, fails to provide any required annual and renewable bond 30 days prior to expiration of the current bond then in effect, or otherwise violates any provision of the contract, the State may terminate the contract by written notice to the Contractor. The notice shall specify the acts or omissions relied upon as cause for termination. All finished or unfinished work provided by the Contractor shall, at the State’s option, become the State’s property. The State shall pay the Contractor fair and equitable compensation for satisfactory performance prior to receipt of notice of termination, less the amount of damages caused by Contractor’s breach. If the damages are more than the compensation payable to the Contractor, the Contractor will remain liable after termination and the State can affirmatively collect damages. Termination hereunder, including the determination of the rights and obligations of the parties, shall be governed by the provisions of COMAR 21.07.01.11B.”

2. B. Alternate Clause — Termination for Default (long form).

   “(1) The State may, subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this regulation, by written notice of default to the Contractor, terminate the whole or any part of this contract in any one of the following circumstances:(a) If the Contractor fails to perform within the time specified herein or any extension thereof; (b) If the Contractor fails to provide any required annual and renewable bond 30 days prior to expiration of the current bond then in effect; or (c) If the Contractor fails to perform any of the other provisions of this contract, or so fails to make progress as to endanger performance of this contract in accordance with its terms, and in either of these two circumstances does not cure such failure within a period of 10 days (or such longer period as the procurement officer may authorize in writing) after receipt of notice from the procurement officer specifying such failure.

   1. (2) In the event the State terminates this contract in whole or in part as provided in paragraph(1) of this clause, the State may procure substitute performance upon terms and in whatever manner the procurement officer may deem appropriate, and the Contractor shall be liable to the State for any excess costs for substitute performance; provided, that the Contractor shall continue the performance of this contract to the extent not terminated under the provisions of this clause.
   2. (3) Except with respect to defaults of subcontractors, the Contractor shall not be liable for any excess costs if the failure to perform the contract arises out of causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor. Such causes may include, but are not restricted to, acts of God or of the public enemy, acts of the State in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, fires, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, strikes, freight embargoes, and unusually severe weather; but in every case the failure to perform shall be beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor. If the failure to perform is caused by the default of a subcontractor, and if the default arises out of causes beyond the control of both the Contractor and subcontractor, and without the fault or negligence of either of them, the Contractor shall not be liable for any excess costs for failure to perform unless substitute performance for the subcontractor was obtainable from another source in sufficient time to permit the Contractor to meet the performance schedule.
   3. (4) If, after notice of termination of this contract under the provisions of this clause, it is determined for any reason that the Contractor was not in default under the provisions of this clause, or that the default was excusable under the provisions of this clause, the rights and obligations of the parties shall, if the contract contains a clause providing for termination for convenience of the State, be the same as if the notice of termination had been issued pursuant to such clause. If, after notice of termination of this contract under the provisions of this clause, it is determined for any reason that the Contractor was not in default under the provisions of this clause, and if this contract does not contain a clause providing for termination for convenience of the State, the contract shall be equitably adjusted to compensate for such termination and the contract modified accordingly; failure to agree to any such adjustment shall be a dispute concerning a question of fact within the meaning of the clause of this contract entitled “Disputes.”
   4. (5) If this contract is terminated as provided in paragraph(1) of this clause, the State, in addition to any other rights provided in this clause, may require the Contractor to transfer title and deliver to the State, in the manner, at the times, and to the extent, if any, directed by the procurement officer,(a) the fabricated or unfabricated parts, work in progress, completed work, supplies, and other material produced as a part of, or acquired in connection with the performance of, the work terminated by the Notice of Termination, and (b) the completed or partially completed plans, drawings, information, and other property which, if the contract had been completed, would have been required to be furnished to the State; and the Contractor shall, upon direction of the procurement officer, protect and preserve property in the possession of the Contractor in which the State has an interest. Payment for completed supplies delivered to and accepted by the State shall be at the contract price. Payment for manufacturing materials delivered to and accepted by the State and for the protection and preservation of property shall be in an amount agreed upon by the Contractor and procurement officer; failure to agree to such amount shall be a dispute concerning a question of fact within the meaning of the clause of this contract entitled "Disputes.” The State may withhold from amounts otherwise due the Contractor hereunder such sum as the procurement officer determines to be necessary to protect the State against loss because of outstanding liens or claims of former lien holders.
   5. (6) The rights and remedies of the State provided in this clause shall not be exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or under this contract.
   6. (7) As used in paragraph (3) of this clause, the terms, “subcontractor” and “subcontractors” mean subcontractor(s) at any tier.”

Authority: Election Law Article, §§14-101—14-108; General Provisions Article, §§5-101 and 5-503; State Finance and Procurement Article, §§12-101, 13-211, 13-217—13-219, 13-221—13-223, 13-317, 15-226 ,16-202, 17-401, 17-402, and 19-114; Annotated Code of Maryland; Chs. 588, 589, and 630, Acts of 2017; Ch. 403, Acts of 2019

Effective date: July 1, 1981 (8:13 Md. R. II-5)

Regulation .09A amended effective May 6, 1985 (12:9 Md. R. 816)

Chapter revised effective January 9, 1989 (15:27 Md. R. 3138)

Regulation .03 amended effective August 2, 1993 (20:15 Md. R. 1221)

Regulation .05 amended effective October 2, 2000 (27:19 Md. R. 1730); July 9, 2001 (28:13 Md. R. 1216)

Regulation .06B amended effective May 2, 2022 (49:9 Md. R. 531)

Regulation .08 amended effective December 25, 2000 (27:25 Md. R. 2284); January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1449); March 3, 2025 (52:4 Md. R. 221)

Regulation .11 amended effective June 29, 2020 (47:13 Md. R. 643)

Regulation .11A amended effective November 22, 1993 (20:23 Md. R. 1086)

Regulation .12A amended effective November 22, 1993 (20:23 Md. R. 1086); May 2, 2022 (49:9 Md. R. 531)

Regulation .14 amended effective May 13, 2013 (40:9 Md. R. 789); July 15, 2019 (46:14 Md. R. 623)

Regulation .16 amended effective May 2, 2022 (49:9 Md. R. 531)

Regulation .18 amended effective January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1449)

Regulation .19 amended effective March 11, 2019 (46:5 Md. R. 310)

Regulation .20 amended effective January 26, 1998 (25:2 Md. R. 79); December 25, 2000 (27:25 Md. R. 2284); January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1449)

Regulation .25 amended effective October 1, 1990 (17:19 Md. R. 2322); August 2, 1993 (20:15 Md. R. 1221); August 8, 2011 (38:16 Md. R. 946); May 13, 2013 (40:9 Md. R. 789)

Regulation .25C amended effective March 11, 2019 (46:5 Md. R. 310)

Regulation .25D amended effective January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1449)

Regulation .26 adopted as an emergency provision effective August 8, 1997 (24:18 Md. R. 1294); emergency status rescinded effective October 16, 1997 (24:23 Md. R. 1608)

Regulation .26 adopted effective March 12, 2007 (34:5 Md. R. 562)

Regulation .26A amended effective January 2, 2017 (43:26 Md. R. 1449); March 3, 2025 (52:4 Md. R. 221)

Regulation .26B amended effective March 5, 2012 (39:4 Md. R. 338)

Regulation .27 adopted effective July 15, 2019 (46:14 Md. R. 623)

Regulation .28 adopted effective July 15, 2019 (46:14 Md. R. 623)

Regulation .29 adopted effective June 29, 2020 (47:13 Md. R. 643)

Regulation .30 adopted effective June 29, 2020 (47:13 Md. R. 643)

Regulation .31 adopted effective September 18, 2023 (50:18 Md. R. 800)

Regulation .31 amended effective March 3, 2025 (52:4 Md. R. 221)