Bill Text: GA HB1241 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Economic Development, Department of; Division of Minority and Women's Business Development; create

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-14 - House Second Readers [HB1241 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB1241-Introduced.html

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12 LC 21 1742ER

House Bill 1241

By: Representatives Bruce of the 64th, Fludd of the 66th, Marin of the 96th, Williams of the 89th, and Frazier of the 123rd

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Chapter 7 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Economic Development, so as to define certain terms; to create the Division of Minority and Women's Business Development; to provide for appointment of a director; to provide for powers and duties of the director; to create the position of minority and women owned business enterprise state-wide advocate; to provide for appointment; to provide for duties; to provide for provisions for state contracts; to provide for a state-wide disparity study; to provide for contents; to provide for the structure of procurement contracts; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for the implementation of rules and regulations; to provide for exceptions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 7 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Economic Development, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:

"ARTICLE 8

50-7-100.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) 'Certified business' means a business verified as a minority owned business enterprise or women owned business enterprise pursuant to Code Section 50-7-105.

(2) 'Contracting agency' means a state agency which is a party or a proposed party to a state contract.

(3) 'Contractor' means an individual; a business enterprise, including a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, nonprofit corporation, or any other party to a state contract; or a bidder in conjunction with the award of a state contract or a proposed party to a state contract.

(4) 'Director' means the director of the Division of Minority and Women's Business Development in the Department of Economic Development.

(5) 'Diversity practices' means a contractor's practices and policies with respect to:

(A) Utilizing certified minority owned business enterprises and women owned business enterprises in contracts awarded by a state agency or other public corporation, as subcontractors and suppliers; and

(B) Entering into partnerships, joint ventures, or other similar arrangements with certified minority owned business enterprises and women owned business enterprises as defined in this article or other applicable statute or regulation governing an entity's utilization of minority owned business enterprises or women owned business enterprises.

(6) 'Division' means the Division of Minority and Women's Business Development in the Department of Economic Development.

(7) 'Minority and women owned business enterprise' means both minority owned business enterprise and women owned business enterprise.

(8) 'Minority group member' means a United States citizen or permanent resident alien who is and can demonstrate membership in one of the following groups:

(A) Black persons having origins in any of the Black African racial groups;

(B) Hispanic persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, or Central or South American of either Indian or Hispanic origin, regardless of race;

(C) Native American or Alaskan native persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America; or

(D) Asian and Pacific Islander persons having origins in any of the East Asian countries, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands.

(9) 'Minority owned business enterprise' means a business enterprise, including a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation that is:

(A) At least 51 percent owned by one or more minority group members;

(B) An enterprise in which such minority ownership is real, substantial, and continuing;

(C) An enterprise in which such minority ownership has and exercises the authority to control independently the day-to-day business decisions of the enterprise;

(D) An enterprise authorized to do business in this state that is independently owned and operated;

(E) An enterprise owned by an individual or individuals, whose ownership, control, and operation are relied upon for certification, with a personal net worth that does not exceed $3.5 million, as adjusted annually on the first day of January for inflation according to the consumer price index of the previous year; and

(F) An enterprise that is a small business.

(10) 'Personal net worth' means the aggregate adjusted net value of the assets of an individual remaining after total liabilities are deducted. Personal net worth includes the individual's share of assets held jointly with said individual's spouse and does not include the individual's ownership interest in the certified minority and women owned business enterprise, the individual's equity in his or her primary residence, or up to $500,000.00 of the present cash value of any qualified retirement savings plan or individual retirement account held by the individual less any penalties for early withdrawal.

(11) 'Small business,' unless otherwise indicated, means a business which has a significant business presence in this state, is independently owned and operated, and is not dominant in its field and employs, based on its industry, a certain number of persons as determined by the director, but not to exceed 300, taking into consideration factors which include, but are not limited to, federal small business administration standards pursuant to 13 C.F.R. Part 121. The director may issue regulations on the construction of the terms in this definition.

(12) 'State agency' means a state department, or division, board, commission, or bureau of any state department, or a state authority.

(13) 'State contract' means:

(A) A written agreement or purchase order instrument, providing for a total expenditure in excess of $35,000.00, whereby a contracting agency is committed to expend or does expend funds in return for labor; services including but not limited to legal, financial, and other professional services; supplies; equipment; materials; or any combination of the foregoing, to be performed for, or rendered or furnished to, the contracting agency;

(B) A written agreement in excess of $100,000.00 whereby a contracting agency is committed to expend or does expend funds for the acquisition, construction, demolition, replacement, major repair, or renovation of real property and improvements thereon; and

(C) A written agreement in excess of $100,000.00 whereby the owner of a state assisted housing project is committed to expend or does expend funds for the acquisition, construction, demolition, replacement, major repair, or renovation of real property and improvements thereon for such project.

(14) 'State-wide advocate' means the person appointed by the commissioner to serve in the capacity of the minority and women owned business enterprise state-wide advocate.

(15) 'Subcontract' means an agreement providing for a total expenditure in excess of $25,000.00 for the construction, demolition, replacement, major repair, renovation, planning, or design of real property and improvements thereon between a contractor and any individual or business enterprise, including a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or nonprofit corporation, in which a portion of a contractor's obligation under a state contract is undertaken or assumed, but shall not include any construction, demolition, replacement, major repair, renovation, planning, or design of real property or improvements thereon for the beneficial use of the contractor.

(16) 'Utilization plan' means a plan prepared by a contractor and submitted in connection with a proposed state contract. The utilization plan shall identify certified minority or women owned business enterprises, if known, that have committed to perform work in connection with the proposed state contract as well as any such enterprises, if known, which the contractor intends to use in connection with the contractor's performance of the proposed state contract. The plan shall specifically contain a list, including the name, address, and telephone number, of each certified enterprise with which the contractor intends to subcontract.

(17) 'Women owned business enterprise' means a business enterprise, including a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation that is:

(A) At least 51 percent owned by one or more United States citizens or permanent resident aliens who are women;

(B) An enterprise in which the ownership interest of such women is real, substantial, and continuing;

(C) An enterprise in which such women ownership has and exercises the authority to control independently the day-to-day business decisions of the enterprise;

(D) An enterprise authorized to do business in this state that is independently owned and operated;

(E) An enterprise owned by an individual or individuals, whose ownership, control, and operation are relied upon for certification, with a personal net worth that does not exceed $3.5 million, as adjusted annually on the first day of January for inflation according to the consumer price index of the previous year; and

(F) An enterprise that is a small business.

50-7-101.

(a) There is created in the Department of Economic Development the Division of Minority and Women's Business Development. The head of the division shall be the director who shall be appointed by and hold office at the pleasure of the commissioner. It shall be the duty of the director to assist the Governor in the formulation and implementation of laws and policies relating to minority and women owned business enterprises.

(b) The director may appoint such deputies, assistants, and other employees as may be needed for the performance of the duties prescribed in this article. The director may request and shall receive from any department, division, board, bureau, executive commission, or agency of the state such assistance as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this article.

(c) The director shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To encourage and assist contracting agencies in their efforts to increase participation by minority and women owned business enterprise on state contracts and subcontracts so as to facilitate the award of a fair share of such contracts to them;

(2) To develop standardized forms and reporting documents necessary to implement this article;

(3) To conduct educational programs consistent with the purposes of this article;

(4) To review periodically the practices and procedures of each contracting agency with respect to compliance with the provisions of this article, and to require them to file periodic reports with the division of minority and women's business development as to the level of minority and women owned business enterprises participation in the awarding of agency contracts for goods and services;

(5) On January 1 of each year, report to the Governor and the chairpersons of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means the level of minority and women owned business enterprises participating in each agency's contracts for goods and services and on activities of the office and effort by each contracting agency to promote employment of minority group members and women, and to promote and increase participation by certified businesses with respect to state contracts and subcontracts so as to facilitate the award of a fair share of state contracts to such businesses. Such report may recommend new activities and programs to effectuate the purposes of this article;

(6) To prepare and update periodically a directory of certified minority and women owned business enterprises which shall, wherever practicable, be divided into categories of labor, services, supplies, equipment, materials, and recognized construction trades and which shall indicate areas or locations of the state where such enterprises are available to perform services;

(7) To appoint independent hearing officers who by contract or terms of employment shall preside over adjudicatory hearings pursuant to Code Section 50-7-106 for the office and who are assigned no other work by the office;

(8) To file a complaint where the director has knowledge that a contractor may have violated the provisions of this article where such violation is unrelated, separate, or distinct from the state contract as expressed by its terms; and

(9) To streamline the state certification process to accept federal and municipal corporation certifications.

(d) The director may provide assistance to, and facilitate access to, programs serving certified businesses as well as applicants to ensure that such businesses benefit, as needed, from technical, managerial, financial, and general business assistance; training; marketing; organization and personnel skill development; project management assistance; technology assistance; bond and insurance education assistance; and other business development assistance. In addition, the director may, either independently or in conjunction with other state agencies:

(1) Develop a clearinghouse of information on programs and services provided by entities that may assist such businesses;

(2) Review bonding and paperwork requirements imposed by contracting agencies that may unnecessarily impede the ability of such businesses to compete; and

(3) Seek to maximize utilization by minority and women owned business enterprises of available federal resources including but not limited to federal grants, loans, loan guarantees, surety bonding guarantees, technical assistance, and programs and services of the federal small business administration.

50-7-102.

(a) There is established within the division an office of the minority and women owned business enterprise state-wide advocate. The state-wide advocate shall be appointed by the commissioner.

(b) The advocate shall act as a liaison for minority and women owned business enterprises to assist them in obtaining technical, managerial, financial, and other business assistance for certified businesses and applicants. The advocate shall investigate complaints brought by or on behalf of minority and women owned business enterprises concerning certification delays and instances of violations of law by state agencies. The state-wide advocate shall assist certified businesses and applicants in the certification process. Other functions of the state-wide advocate shall be directed by the commissioner. The advocate may request and the director may appoint staff and employees of the Division of Minority and Women's Business Development to support the administration of the office of the state-wide advocate.

(c) The state-wide advocate shall establish a toll-free number at the Department of Economic Development to be used to answer questions concerning the minority and women owned business enterprises certification process.

(d) The state-wide advocate shall report to the director and commissioner by November 15 of each year on all activities related to fulfilling the obligations of the office of the state-wide advocate. The commissioner shall include the unedited text of the state-wide advocate's report within the reports submitted by the Department of Economic Development to the Governor and the chairpersons of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means.

50-7-103.

(a) As used in this code section, the term 'affirmative action' means recruitment, employment, job assignment, promotion, upgradings, demotion, transfer, layoff, or termination and rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

(b) All state contracts and all documents soliciting bids or proposals for state contracts shall contain or make reference to the following provisions:

(1) The contractor shall not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or marital status and will undertake or continue existing programs of affirmative action to ensure that minority group members and women are afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination;

(2) At the request of the contracting agency, the contractor shall request each employment agency or labor union, or authorized representative of workers with which it has a collective bargaining or other agreement or understanding, to furnish a written statement that such employment agency, labor union, or representative will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or marital status and that such employment agency, labor union, or representative will affirmatively cooperate in the implementation of the contractor's obligations herein;

(3) The contractor shall state, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees, that, in the performance of the state contract, all qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or marital status;

(4) The contractor shall include the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection in every subcontract, except as provided in paragraph (6) of this subsection, in such a manner that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor as to work in connection with the state contract;

(5) The provisions of this Code section shall not be binding upon contractors or subcontractors in the performance of work or the provision of services or any other activity that are unrelated, separate, or distinct from the state contract as expressed by its terms;

(6) In the implementation of this Code section, the contracting agency shall consider compliance by a contractor or subcontractor with the requirements of any federal law concerning equal employment opportunity which effectuates the purpose of this Code section. The contracting agency shall determine whether the imposition of the requirements of this Code section duplicate or conflict with any such law, and, if such duplication or conflict exists, the contracting agency shall waive the applicability of this Code section to the extent of such duplication or conflict;

(7) The director shall promulgate rules and regulations to ensure that contractors and subcontractors undertake programs of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity as required by this Code section. Such rules and regulations as they pertain to any particular agency shall be developed after consultation with contracting agencies. Such rules and regulations may require a contractor, after notice in a bid solicitation, to submit an equal employment opportunity program after bid opening and prior to the award of any contract, and may require the contractor or subcontractor to submit compliance reports relating to the contractor's or subcontractor's operation and implementation of any equal employment opportunity program in effect as of the date the contract is executed. The contracting agency may recommend to the director that the director take appropriate action according to the procedures set forth in Code Section 50-7-108 against the contractor for noncompliance with the requirements of this Code section. The contracting agency shall be responsible for monitoring compliance with this Code section; and

(8) The requirements of this Code section shall not apply to any employment outside this state or application for employment outside this state or solicitations or advertisements therefor, or any existing programs of affirmative action regarding employment outside this state and the effect of contract provisions required by paragraph (1) of this Code section shall be so limited.

50-7-104.

(a) The director is authorized and directed to commission a state-wide disparity study regarding the participation of minority and women owned business enterprises in state contracts to be delivered to the Governor and the chairpersons of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means no later than February 15, 2016. The study shall be prepared by an entity independent of the department and selected through a request for proposal process. The purpose of such study is:

(1) To determine whether there is a disparity between the number of qualified minority and women owned businesses ready, willing, and able to perform state contracts for commodities, services, and construction, and the number of such contractors actually engaged to perform such contracts, and to determine what changes, if any, should be made to state policies affecting minority and women owned business enterprises; and

(2) To determine whether there is a disparity between the number of qualified minorities and women ready, willing, and able with respect to labor markets, qualifications, and other relevant factors to participate in contractor employment, management level bodies including boards of directors, and as senior executive officers within contracting entities and the number of such group members actually employed or affiliated with state contractors in the aforementioned capacities, and to determine what changes, if any, should be made to state policies affecting minority and women group populations with regard to state contractors' employment and appointment practices relative to diverse group members. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the history of minority and women owned business enterprise programs and their effectiveness as a means of securing and ensuring participation by minorities and women, and a disparity analysis by market area and region of the state. Such study shall distinguish between minority males, minority females, and nonminority females in the statistical analysis.

(b) The director shall transmit the disparity study to the Governor and the chairpersons of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means not later than February 15, 2016, and to post the study on the website of the Department of Economic Development.

50-7-105.

(a) Each agency shall structure procurement procedures for contracts made directly or indirectly to minority and women owned business enterprises, consistent with the purposes of this article, to achieve the following results with regard to total annual state-wide procurement:

(1) Construction industry for certified minority owned business enterprises: 14.34 percent;

(2) Construction industry for certified women owned business enterprises: 8.41 percent;

(3) Construction related professional services industry for certified minority owned business enterprises: 13.21 percent;

(4) Construction related professional services industry for certified women owned business enterprises: 11.32 percent;

(5) Nonconstruction related services industry for certified minority owned business enterprises: 19.60 percent;

(6) Nonconstruction related services industry for certified women owned business enterprises: 17.44 percent;

(7) Commodities industry for certified minority owned business enterprises: 16.11 percent;

(8) Commodities industry for certified women owned business enterprises: 10.93 percent;

(9) Overall agency total dollar value of procurement for certified minority owned business enterprises: 16.53 percent;

(10) Overall agency total dollar value of procurement for certified women owned business enterprises: 12.39 percent; and

(11) Overall agency total dollar value of procurement for certified minority and women owned business enterprises: 28.92 percent.

(b) The director shall ensure that each state agency has been provided with a copy of the 2016 study.

(c) Each agency shall develop and adopt agency-specific goals based on the findings of the 2016 study.

(d) The director shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the goals established in subsection (a) of this Code section that provide measures and procedures to ensure that certified minority and women owned businesses shall be given the opportunity for maximum feasible participation in the performance of state contracts and to assist in the agency's identification of those state contracts for which minority and women owned certified businesses may best bid to actively and affirmatively promote and assist their participation in the performance of state contracts so as to facilitate the agency's achievement of the maximum feasible portion of the goals for state contracts to such businesses.

(e) The director shall promulgate rules and regulations that will accomplish the following:

(1) Provide for the certification and decertification of minority and women owned business enterprises for all agencies through a single process that meets applicable requirements;

(2) Require that each contract solicitation document accompanying each solicitation set forth the expected degree of minority and women owned business enterprise participation based, in part, on:

(A) The potential subcontract opportunities available in the prime procurement contract; and

(B) The availability, as contained within the study, of certified minority and women owned business enterprises to respond competitively to the potential subcontract opportunities;

(3) Require that each agency provide a current list of certified minority business enterprises to each prospective contractor;

(4) Allow a contractor that is a certified minority owned or women owned business enterprise to use the work it performs to meet requirements for use of certified minority owned or women owned business enterprises as subcontractors;

(5) Provide for joint ventures, which a bidder may count toward meeting its minority and women owned business enterprise participation;

(6) Consistent with subsection (i) of this Code section, provide for circumstances under which an agency may waive obligations of the contractor relating to minority and women owned business enterprise participation;

(7) Require that an agency verify that minority and women owned business enterprises listed in a successful bid are actually participating to the extent listed in the project for which the bid was submitted;

(8) Provide for the collection of statistical data by each agency concerning actual minority and women owned business enterprise participation; and

(9) Require each agency to consult the most current disparity study when calculating agency-wide and contract specific participation goals pursuant to this article.

(f) Solely for the purpose of providing the opportunity for meaningful participation by certified businesses in the performance of state contracts as provided in this Code section, state contracts shall include leases of real property by a state agency to a lessee where: the terms of such leases provide for the construction, demolition, replacement, major repair, or renovation of real property and improvements thereon by such lessee; and the cost of such construction, demolition, replacement, major repair, or renovation of real property and improvements thereon shall exceed the sum of $100,000.00. Reports to the director pursuant to Code Section 50-7-106 shall include activities with respect to all such state contracts. Contracting agencies shall include or require to be included with respect to state contracts for the acquisition, construction, demolition, replacement, major repair, or renovation of real property and improvements thereon, such provisions as may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of this Code section in every bid specification and state contract, including, but not limited to:

(1) Provisions requiring contractors to make a good faith effort to solicit active participation by enterprises identified in the directory of certified businesses provided to the contracting agency by the office;

(2) Requiring the parties to agree, as a condition of entering into such contract, to be bound by the provisions of section three hundred sixteen of this article; and

(3) Requiring the contractor to include the provisions set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection in every subcontract in a manner that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor as to work in connection with such contract; provided, however, that no such provisions shall be binding upon contractors or subcontractors in the performance of work or the provision of services that are unrelated, separate or distinct from the state contract as expressed by its terms, and nothing in this Code section shall authorize the director or any contracting agency to impose any requirement on a contractor or subcontractor except with respect to a state contract.

(g) In the implementation of this Code section, the contracting agency shall:

(1) Consult the findings contained within the disparity study evidencing relevant industry specific availability of certified businesses;

(2) Implement a program that will enable the agency to evaluate each contract to determine the appropriateness of the goal pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section;

(3) Consider where practicable, the severability of construction projects, and other bundled contracts; and

(4) Consider compliance with the requirements of any federal law concerning opportunities for minority and women owned business enterprises which effectuates the purpose of this Code section. The contracting agency shall determine whether the imposition of the requirements of any such law duplicate or conflict with the provisions of this Code section, and, if such duplication or conflict exists, the contracting agency shall waive the applicability of this Code section to the extent of such duplication or conflict.

(h)(1) Contracting agencies shall administer the rules and regulations promulgated by the director in a good faith effort to meet the maximum feasible portion of the agency's goals adopted pursuant to this article and the regulations of the director. Such rules and regulations shall require a contractor to submit a utilization plan after bids are opened and when bids are required, but prior to the award of a state contract; shall require the contracting agency to review the utilization plan submitted by the contractor and to post the utilization plan and any waivers of compliance issued pursuant to subsection (f) of this Code section on the website of the contracting agency within a reasonable period of time as established by the director; shall require the contracting agency to notify the contractor in writing within a period of time specified by the director as to any deficiencies contained in the contractor's utilization plan; shall require remedy thereof within a period of time specified by the director; shall require the contractor to submit periodic compliance reports relating to the operation and implementation of any utilization plan; shall not allow any automatic waivers but shall allow a contractor to apply for a partial or total waiver of the minority and women owned business enterprise participation requirements pursuant to subsections (f) and (g) of this Code section; shall allow a contractor to file a complaint with the director pursuant to subsection (h) of this Code section in the event a contracting agency has failed or refused to issue a waiver of the minority and women owned business enterprise participation requirements or has denied such request for a waiver; and shall allow a contracting agency to file a complaint with the director pursuant to subsection (i) of this Code section in the event a contractor is failing or has failed to comply with the minority and women owned business enterprise participation requirements set forth in the state contract where no waiver has been granted.

(2) The rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this paragraph regarding a utilization plan shall provide that where enterprises have been identified within a utilization plan, a contractor shall attempt, in good faith, to utilize such enterprise at least to the extent indicated. A contracting agency may require a contractor to indicate, within a utilization plan, what measures and procedures he or she intends to take to comply with the provisions of this article, but may not require, as a condition of award of, or compliance with, a contract that a contractor utilize a particular enterprise in performance of the contract.

(3) Without limiting other grounds for the disqualification of bids or proposals on the basis of nonresponsibility, a contracting agency may disqualify the bid or proposal of a contractor as being nonresponsible for failure to remedy notified deficiencies contained in the contractor's utilization plan within a period of time specified in regulations promulgated by the director after receiving notification of such deficiencies from the contracting agency. Where failure to remedy any notified deficiency in the utilization plan is a ground for disqualification, that issue and all other grounds for disqualification shall be stated in writing by the contracting agency. Where the contracting agency states that a failure to remedy any notified deficiency in the utilization plan is a ground for disqualification, the contractor shall be entitled to an administrative hearing, on a record, involving all grounds stated by the contracting agency. Such hearing shall be conducted by the appropriate authority of the contracting agency to review the determination of disqualification.

(i) Where it appears that a contractor cannot, after a good faith effort, comply with the minority and women owned business enterprise participation requirements set forth in a particular state contract, a contractor may file a written application with the contracting agency requesting a partial or total waiver of such requirements setting forth the reasons for such contractor's inability to meet any or all of the participation requirements together with an explanation of the efforts undertaken by the contractor to obtain the required minority and women owned business enterprise participation. In implementing the provisions of this Code section, the contracting agency shall consider the number and types of minority and women owned business enterprises located in the region in which the state contract is to be performed, the total dollar value of the state contract, the scope of work to be performed and the project size and term. If, based on such considerations, the contracting agency determines there is not a reasonable availability of contractors on the list of certified business to furnish services for the project, it shall issue a waiver of compliance to the contractor. In making such determination, the contracting agency shall first consider the availability of other business enterprises located in the region and shall thereafter consider the financial ability of minority and women owned businesses located outside the region in which the contract is to be performed to perform the state contract.

(j) For purposes of determining a contractor's good faith effort to comply with the requirements of this Code section or to be entitled to a waiver therefrom the contracting agency shall consider:

(1) Whether the contractor has advertised in general circulation media, trade association publications, and minority-focus and women-focus media and, in such event:

(A) Whether or not certified minority or women owned businesses which have been solicited by the contractor exhibited interest in submitting proposals for a particular project by attending a pre-bid conference; and

(B) Whether certified businesses which have been solicited by the contractor have responded in a timely fashion to the contractor's solicitations for timely competitive bid quotations prior to the contracting agency's bid date;

(2) Whether there has been written notification to appropriate certified businesses that appear in the directory of certified businesses prepared pursuant to paragraph (6) of subsection (c) of Code Section 50-7-101; and

(3) Whether the contractor can reasonably structure the amount of work to be performed under subcontracts in order to increase the likelihood of participation by certified businesses.

(k) In the event that a contracting agency fails or refuses to issue a waiver to a contractor as requested within 20 days after having made application therefor pursuant to subsection (f) of this Code section or if the contracting agency denies such application, in whole or in part, the contractor may file a complaint with the director pursuant to Code section 5-7-101 setting forth the facts and circumstances giving rise to the contractor's complaint together with a demand for relief. The contractor shall serve a copy of such complaint upon the contracting agency by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested. The contracting agency shall be afforded an opportunity to respond to such complaint in writing.

(l) If, after the review of a contractor's minority and women owned business utilization plan or review of a periodic compliance report and after such contractor has been afforded an opportunity to respond to a notice of deficiency issued by the contracting agency in connection therewith, it appears that a contractor is failing or refusing to comply with the minority and women owned business participation requirements as set forth in the state contract and where no waiver from such requirements has been granted, the contracting agency may file a written complaint with the director pursuant to Code Section 50-7-110 setting forth the facts and circumstances giving rise to the contracting agency's complaint together with a demand for relief. The contracting agency shall serve a copy of such complaint upon the contractor by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested. The contractor shall be afforded an opportunity to respond to such complaint in writing.

50-7-106.

The director shall promulgate rules and regulations setting forth measures and procedures to require all contracting agencies, where practicable, feasible, and appropriate, to assess the diversity practices of contractors submitting bids or proposals in connection with the award of a state contract. Such rules and regulations shall take into account the nature of the labor, services, supplies, equipment, or materials being procured by the state agency; the method of procurement required to be used by a state agency to award the contract and minority and women owned business utilization plans required to be submitted pursuant to Code Sections 50-7-103 and 50-7-104; and such other factors as the director deems appropriate or necessary to promote the award of state contracts to contractors having sound diversity practices. Such assessment shall not in any way permit the automatic rejection of a bid or procurement contract proposal based on lack of adherence to diversity practices. Each bid or proposal shall be analyzed on an individual per-bid or per-proposal basis with the contractor's diversity practices considered as only a part of a wider consideration of several factors when deciding to award or decline to award a bid or proposal.

50-7-107.

(a) The director shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for the establishment of a state-wide certification program including rules and regulations governing the approval, denial, or revocation of any such certification.

(b) For the purposes of this article, the office shall be responsible for verifying businesses as being owned, operated, and controlled by minority group members or women and for certifying such verified businesses. The director shall prepare a directory of certified businesses for use by contracting agencies and contractors in carrying out the provisions of this article. The director shall periodically update the directory.

(c)(1) The director shall work with all municipal corporations that have a municipal minority and women owned business enterprise program to develop standards to accept state certification to meet the municipal corporation minority and women owned business enterprise certification standards.

(2) The director shall establish a procedure enabling the division to accept federal certification verification for minority and women owned business enterprise applicants, provided said standards comport with those required by the state minority and women owned business program, in lieu of requiring the applicant to complete the state certification process. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations to set forth criteria for the acceptance of federal certification.

(d) Following application for certification pursuant to this Code section, the director shall provide the applicant with written notice of the status of the application, including notice of any outstanding deficiencies, within 30 days. Within 60 days of submission of a final completed application, the director shall provide the applicant with written notice of a determination by the office approving or denying such certification and, in the event of a denial, a statement setting forth the reasons for such denial. Upon a determination denying or revoking certification, the business enterprise for which certification has been so denied or revoked shall, upon written request made within 30 days from receipt of notice of such determination, be entitled to a hearing before an independent hearing officer designated for such purpose by the director. In the event that a request for a hearing is not made within such 30 day period, such determination shall be deemed to be final. The independent hearing officer shall conduct a hearing and, upon the conclusion of such hearing, issue a written recommendation to the director to affirm, reverse, or modify such determination of the director. Such written recommendation shall be issued to the parties. The director, within 30 days, by order, must accept, reject, or modify such recommendation of the hearing officer and set forth in writing the reasons therefor. The director shall serve a copy of such order and reasons therefor upon the business enterprise by personal service or by certified mail return receipt requested.

(e) All certifications shall be valid for a period of three years.

50-7-108.

(a) Each contracting agency shall be responsible for monitoring state contracts under its jurisdiction, and recommending matters to the office respecting noncompliance with the provisions of this article so that the office may take such action as is appropriate to insure compliance with the provisions of this article, the rules and regulations of the director issued hereunder and the contractual provisions required pursuant to this article. All contracting agencies shall comply with the rules and regulations of the office and are directed to cooperate with the office and to furnish to the office such information and assistance as may be required in the performance of its functions under this article.

(b) Each contracting agency shall provide to prospective bidders a current copy of the directory of certified businesses and a copy of the regulations.

(c) Each contracting agency shall report to the director with respect to activities undertaken to promote employment of minority group members and women and promote and increase participation by certified businesses with respect to state contracts and subcontracts. Such reports shall be submitted periodically, but not less frequently than annually, as required by the director, and shall include such information as is necessary for the director to determine whether the contracting agency and contractor have complied with the purposes of this article, including, without limitation, a summary of all waivers of the requirements of subsections (f) and (g) of Code Section 50-7-104 allowed by the contracting agency during the period covered by the report, including a description of the basis of the waiver request and the rationale for granting any such waiver. Each agency shall also include in such annual report whether or not it has been required to prepare a remedial plan and, if so, the plan and the extent to which the agency has complied with each element of the plan.

(d) The division shall issue an annual report which:

(1) Summarizes the report submitted by each contracting agency pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section;

(2) Contains such comparative or other information as the director deems appropriate, including but not limited to goals compared to actual participation of minority and women owned business enterprises in state contracting, to evaluate the effectiveness of the activities undertaken by each such contracting agency to promote increased participation by certified minority or women owned businesses with respect to state contracts and subcontracts;

(3) Contains a summary of all waivers of the requirements of subsections (f) and (g) of Code Section 50-7-104 allowed by each contracting agency during the period covered by the report, including a description of the basis of the waiver request and the contracting agency's rationale for granting any such waiver;

(4) Describes any efforts to create a database or other information storage and retrieval system containing information relevant to contracting with minority and women owned business enterprises; and

(5) Contains a summary of:

(A) All determinations of violations of this article by a contractor or a contracting agency made during the period covered by the annual report pursuant to Code Section 50-7-109; and

(B) The penalties or sanctions, if any, assessed in connection with such determinations and the rationale for such penalties or sanctions. Copies of the annual report shall be provided to the commissioner, the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the Senate, and the minority leader of the House of Representatives and shall also be made widely available to the public.

(e) Each agency shall include in its annual report to the Governor and the chairpersons of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means its annual goals for contracts with minority owned and women owned business enterprises, the number of actual contracts issued to minority owned and women owned business enterprises; and a summary of all waivers of the requirements of subsections (f) and (g) of Code Section 50-7-105 allowed by the reporting agency during the preceding year, including a description of the basis of the waiver request and the rationale for granting such waiver. Each agency shall also include in such annual report whether or not it has been required to prepare a remedial plan, and, if so, the plan and the extent to which the agency has complied with each element of the plan.

(f) Each contracting agency that substantially fails to meet the goals supported by the disparity study, as defined by regulation of the director, shall be required to submit to the director a remedial action plan to remedy such failure.

(g) If it is determined by the director that any agency has failed to act in good faith to implement the remedial action plan, pursuant to subsection (f) of this Code section within one year, the director shall provide written notice of such a finding, which shall be publicly available, and direct implementation of remedial actions to:

(1) Assure that sufficient and effective solicitation efforts to women and minority owned business enterprises are being made by said agency;

(2) Divide contract requirements, when economically feasible, into quantities that will expand the participation of women and minority owned business enterprises;

(3) Eliminate extended experience or capitalization requirements, when programmatically and economically feasible, that will expand participation by women and minority owned business enterprises;

(4) Identify specific proposed contracts as particularly attractive or appropriate for participation by women and minority owned business enterprises with such identification to result from and be coupled with the efforts of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection; and

(5) Upon a finding by the director that an agency has failed to take affirmative measures to implement the remedial plan and to follow any of the remedial actions set forth by the director, and in the absence of any objective progress towards the agency's goals, require some or all of the agency's procurement, for a specified period of time, be placed under the direction and control of another agency or agencies.

50-7-109.

Upon receipt by the director of a complaint by a contracting agency that a contractor has violated the provisions of a state contract which have been included to comply with the provisions of this article or of a contractor that a contracting agency has violated such provisions or has failed or refused to issue a waiver where one has been applied for pursuant to subsection (f) of Code Section 50-7-104 or has denied such application, the director shall attempt to resolve the matter giving rise to such complaint. If efforts to resolve such matter to the satisfaction of all parties are unsuccessful, the director shall refer the matter, within 30 days of the receipt of the complaint, to the division's hearing officers. Upon conclusion of the administrative hearing, the hearing officer shall submit to the director his or her decision regarding the alleged violation of the contract and recommendations regarding the imposition of sanctions, fines, or penalties. The director, within ten days of receipt of the decision, shall file a determination of such matter and shall cause a copy of such determination along with a copy of this article to be served upon the contractor by personal service or by certified mail return receipt requested. The penalties imposed for any violation which is premised upon either a fraudulent or intentional misrepresentation by the contractor or the contractor's willful and intentional disregard of the minority and women owned participation requirement included in the contract may include a determination that the contractor shall be ineligible to submit a bid to any contracting agency or be awarded any such contract for a period not to exceed one year following the final determination; provided, however, that if a contractor has previously been determined to be ineligible to submit a bid pursuant to this section, the penalties imposed for any subsequent violation, if such violation occurs within five years of the first violation, may include a determination that the contractor shall be ineligible to submit a bid to any contracting agency or be awarded any such contract for a period not to exceed five years following the final determination. The division of minority and women's business development shall maintain a website listing all contractors that have been deemed ineligible to submit a bid pursuant to this Code section and the date after which each contractor shall once again become eligible to submit bids.

50-7-110.

Every contracting agency shall include a provision in its state contracts expressly providing that any contractor who willfully and intentionally fails to comply with the minority and women owned participation requirements of this article as set forth in such state contract shall be liable to the contracting agency for liquidated or other appropriate damages and shall provide for other appropriate remedies on account of such breach. A contracting agency that elects to proceed against a contractor for breach of contract as provided in this Code section shall be precluded from seeking enforcement pursuant to Code Section 50-7-109; provided, however, that the contracting agency shall include a summary of all enforcement actions undertaken pursuant to this Code section in its annual report submitted pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 50-7-107."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.