The Department may lend or rent equipment and sell materials and supplies used in the building or repairing of highways and streets to any locality or school board, upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the Department and such locality or school board, provided that the governing body of such locality or school board submits to the Department a certificate setting forth that the material or equipment cannot be furnished from private sources within a reasonable time. The requirement of such a certificate shall not apply to towns with a population of less than 3,500 inhabitants or to the purchase of paint for traffic marking purposes by any locality or school board.
Va. Code § 33.2-277