(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, there shall be no public notice requirement or utilization of the selection process as provided for in this chapter for projects in which the state agency is able to reuse existing drawings, specifications, designs, or other documents from a prior project by retention of the person who provided the professional services and who prepared the original documents.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the Board of Regents and University System of Georgia shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

(c) The provisions of Code Section 50-6-25, relating to the eligibility of architectural and engineering firms to do business with the state, shall not be affected or superseded by the provisions of this chapter.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, there shall be no public notice requirement or utilization of the selection process as provided for in this chapter for services required for the predesign phase of any state agency construction project unless the state agency estimates the predesign phase alone to have costs for professional services in excess of $75,000.00. No award of a contract to provide predesign services under this exemption shall be interpreted to preclude the lawful necessity to give public notice and use the selection process for design of projects meeting the criteria of paragraph (5) of Code Section 50-22-2. Costs for predesign services, whether or not those services are exempt under this subsection, shall be added to any other costs of an activity for purposes of determining whether the activity is a project.