It shall be unlawful for any architect or engineer, in the employ of any county, and engaged in the preparation of plans, specifications or estimates, to bid or negotiate on any public work at any letting of such work by the county, except that any such architect or engineer who shall have prepared preliminary plans only shall not be prohibited from bidding or negotiating on the final contract for such work.
It shall be unlawful for the officers of any county charged with the duty of letting any public work, to award a contract to any such architect or engineer, in the employ of the county who is in any way interested in any contract for public work for the county or for any such architect or engineer to receive any remuneration or gratuity from any person interested in such contract except under the terms and conditions as provided in section 2001(f) .
Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall forfeit his office, and shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500), or to undergo imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.
16 P.S. § 5001.1