Mandatory provision for all contracts. The following clause is preferred:

“The Contractor shall retain and maintain all records and documents relating to this Contract for three years after final payment by the State hereunder or any applicable statute of limitations, whichever is longer, and shall make them available for inspection and audit by authorized representatives of the State, including the procurement officer or designee, at all reasonable times.”

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 R. 1294); emergency status rescinded effective October 16, 1997 (24:23 Md.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)