The county commissioners of the County of Cumberland may each year, as soon after January 1st as possible, estimate the amount of food, fuel, clothing and supplies as far as practicable which will be required by the county jail and for the support of the prisoners in the jail for the current year. They shall advertise for sealed proposals for furnishing those supplies according to specifications furnished by them, in the daily papers of the City of Portland, 3 days successively, at least 14 days before the time limited for the reception of those proposals, at which time they shall examine all the proposals and award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. The county commissioners shall procure such other necessary supplies and articles for the foregoing purposes as may not be furnished by contract and account for the same in the manner provided for in section 1654. [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]