Section 144. Opening and reading of bids for contracts for public work; criminal conspiracies

1. 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.