Day: August 12, 2010

Board postpones approving financial services contract with only one bidder

The Board of Public Works on Wednesday deferred a $2.5 million contract to give advice on housing agency bonds because there was just one bidder, but — despite objections from Comptroller Peter Franchot — approved $32 million for video lottery terminals at the Ocean Downs Casino.

Franchot, as usual, was the principal naysayer on the most controversial items for the board, which must approve state contracts over $25,000. The board is made up of Franchot, Gov. Martin O’Malley, and Treasurer Nancy Kopp.

Maryland institute hopes for Gates grant to test AIDS vaccine

The Institute of Human Virology in Baltimore hopes to find out in the next few weeks whether it will get a $25 million grant from the Gates Foundation to begin testing the AIDS vaccine it has developed, with clinical trials in Maryland.

Dr. Robert Gallo, who led the discovery of the virus that caused AIDS, told the state Board of Public Works that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation asked them to come to Seattle to discuss the grant application. In 2007, the foundation gave $15 million to Gallo’s institute, part of the University of Maryland Medical School, to develop a vaccine to prevent AIDS.

State Roundup, August 12, 2010

WAR CHESTS: Gov. Martin O'Malley has $6.7 million in the bank - a million more than eight months ago and likely double that of rival Bob Ehrlich - because he raised $3.3 million during the last reporting period, Aaron Davis of the Washington Post reports. Julie...

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