N.C. Gen. Stat. § 159-149
A unit of local government may not enter into any contract subject to this Article unless it is approved by the Local Government Commission as evidenced by the secretary's certificate thereon. Any contract subject to this Article that does not bear the secretary's certificate thereon shall be void, and it shall be unlawful for any officer, employee, or agent of a unit of local government to make any payments of money thereunder. Before executing a contract subject to this Article, the governing board of the contracting unit shall file an application for Commission approval of the contract with the secretary of the Commission. The application shall state such facts and have attached to it such documents concerning the proposed contract and the financial condition of the contracting unit as the secretary may require. The Commission may prescribe the form of the application.
Before he accepts the application, the secretary may require the governing board or its representatives to attend a preliminary conference at which time the secretary and his deputies may informally discuss the proposed contract.
After an application in proper form and order has been filed, and after a preliminary conference if one is required, the secretary shall notify the unit in writing that the application has been filed and accepted for submission to the Commission. The secretary's statement shall be conclusive evidence that the unit has complied with this section.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 159-149