Before any prospective bidder shall be entitled to submit any bid required under this chapter, the bidder shall, not less than six calendar days before the day designated for opening bids, give written notice to the director of the bidder’s intention to bid, and the director shall satisfy the director of the prospective bidder’s financial ability, experience, and competence to carry out the terms and conditions of any contract that may be awarded. For this purpose, the director may require prospective bidders to submit answers, under oath, to questions contained in a questionnaire setting forth a complete statement of the experience, competence, and financial standing of such prospective bidders. Whenever it appears to the director that any prospective bidder is not fully qualified and able to carry out the terms and conditions of the contract that may be awarded, the director may, after affording such prospective bidder an opportunity to be heard, refuse to receive or consider any bid offered by such prospective bidder. All information contained in the answers to questionnaires shall remain confidential, and any government officer or employee who knowingly divulges or permits to be divulged any such information to any person not fully entitled thereto shall be subject to penalties as provided by law. Questionnaires so submitted shall be returned to the bidders after having served their purpose.
(Sec. 30-2.3, R.O. 1978 (1983 Ed.)) (1990 Code, Ch. 28, Art. 2, § 28-2.3)