Section 144 - Opening and reading of bids for contracts for public work; criminal conspiracies1. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of any general or special law, contracts for public work in excess of five thousand dollars shall be awarded by any board, officer, agency, department or commission of the state only after advertisement for bids shall contain a statement of the time and place where all bids received in pursuance of such notice will be publicly opened and read and, pursuant to such notice, all bids received shall be publicly opened and read at the time and place so specified.2. A person or corporation who conspires to prevent competitive bidding on a contract for public work or purchase advertised for bidding shall be guilty of a misdemeanor as provided in section one hundred three-e of the general municipal law.N.Y. State Fin. Law § 144