Maryland Code, State Finance and Procurement § 15-218

(b)(1) On receipt of a protest or contract claim from a contractor, a procurement officer:

(2) Unless clearly inappropriate, the procurement officer shall seek the advice of the Office of the Attorney General.

(c)(1) Subject to subsection (b) of this section and consistent with the State budget and other applicable laws, the procurement officer shall:

(2) The procurement officer promptly shall send the decision in writing to the reviewing authority.

(1) the head of the unit; and

(2) the head of the principal department or other equivalent unit of which the unit is a part.

(e)(1) Except as provided under paragraph (3) of this subsection, the reviewing authority shall approve, disapprove, or modify the decision of the procurement officer within 180 days after receiving the contract claim or a longer period to which the parties agree.

(2) The action of the reviewing authority under this subsection shall be the final action of the unit.

(3) The reviewing authority may remand the proceeding with instructions to the procurement officer.

(4) On remand, the procurement officer shall proceed under subsection (b) of this section in accordance with those instructions.

(f)(1) A decision not to pay a contract claim is a final action for the purpose of appeal to the Appeals Board.

(2) The failure to reach a decision within the time required under subsection (e) of this section may be deemed, at the option of the contractor, to be a decision not to pay the contract claim.