SHC § 792

Upon the receipt of such petition, if the department determines that public necessity and convenience will be served thereby, it may cooperate with the petitioning county or counties, in any manner agreeable to all parties, for the purpose of procuring preliminary estimates of the cost of the proposed project. After such preliminary estimates are made and submitted to it, the department may enter into an agreement with any petitioner or with the several petitioners for the purpose of securing detailed surveys, plans, specifications, and estimates of the cost of the proposed project.