Any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, no contracts shall be let for design, repair, renovation or construction without approval of the director of the division of facilities management, design and construction, and no claim for design, repair, construction or renovation projects under contract shall be accepted for payment by the commissioner of administration without approval by the director of the division of facilities management, design and construction; except that the department of conservation, the boards of curators of the state university and Lincoln University, the several boards of regents of the state colleges and the boards of trustees of the community colleges may contract for architectural and engineering services for the design and supervision of the construction, repair, maintenance or improvement of buildings or institutions and may contract for construction, repair, maintenance or improvement. The director of the division of facilities management, design and construction shall not be required to review any claim for payment under any such contract not originally approved by him or her. No claim under any contract executed by the department of conservation or an institution of higher learning, as provided above, shall be certified by the commissioner of administration unless the entity making the claim shall certify in writing that the payment sought is in accordance with the contract executed by the entity and that the underlying construction, repair, maintenance or improvement conforms with applicable regulations promulgated by the director pursuant to section 8.320.