What's happening
This bill creates a pilot program allowing certain state contracts to be awarded directly to small, minority-, and women-owned businesses.
Why it matters
Increases direct access to state contracts for disadvantaged businesses. By allowing certain contracts to be reserved exclusively for small, minority-, and women-owned businesses, the bill aims to address historical barriers these groups face in public procurement.
Creates a controlled, risk-limited pilot. The program is temporary (expiring July 1, 2022) and capped financially (no more than $20 million or 5% of annual contract value), minimizing risk while testing the impact of direct contract awards.
Requires fair competition and pricing safeguards. Direct awards are only permitted if at least three eligible businesses are available and if prices are reasonable; otherwise, contracts revert to standard procedures, protecting against inflated costs or insufficient competition.
Supports mentorship and long-term capacity building. The bill allows contracts to be paired with mentor-protege programs, aiming not just for short-term access but for lasting business development and diversity in the state’s contractor pool.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Boost Contracts for Small Businesses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.139
- Rules report cal.139
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Boost Contracts for Small Businesses
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Michael H. Ranzenhofer
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
11025
IN ASSEMBLY
May 31, 2018
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Bichotte, Peoples-Stokes) -- (at request of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the award of contracts to small businesses, minority-owned business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1678 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new subdivision 29 to read as follows:
29. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, to establish a pilot program for the award of contracts up to the maximum dollar amount specified in paragraph (e) of this subdivision, for the procurement of goods or services from, or for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement of facilities by, small businesses as defined in section one hundred thirty-one of the economic development law and/or minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises as defined in section three hundred ten of the executive law, notwithstanding the expiration of such section pursuant to subdivision (h) of section one hundred twenty-one of chapter two hundred sixty-one of the laws of nineteen hundred eighty-eight, as amended, in accordance with the following provisions:
(a) Procurements made pursuant to this subdivision shall be governed by the authority's procurement policy and guidelines adopted pursuant to section two thousand eight hundred seventy-nine of the public authorities law, with participation in the pilot program reserved exclusively to small businesses, as defined in section one hundred thirty-one of the economic development law, and/or minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, as defined in section three hundred ten of the executive law.
(b) Procurements made pursuant to this subdivision shall be designated as such by the authority, in its sole discretion. Such designation shall
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14384-01-8
A. 11025 2
be made prior to the advertisement and request for bids or proposals, and any such advertisement or request shall indicate this designation clearly.
(c) If the total number of parties responding and considered capable of meeting the specifications and terms of the advertisement and request for bids or proposals is less than three, or if the authority determines that acceptance of any bid or proposal will result in the payment of an unreasonable price, the authority shall reject all responses and withdraw the designation made pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision.
(d) Procurements made pursuant to this subdivision may be undertaken in conjunction with section one hundred forty-seven of the state finance law authorizing a mentor-protege program to foster long-term relationships between approved mentor firms and small business concerns and minority and women-owned businesses certified pursuant to article fifteen-A of the executive law.
(e) The total value of contracts awarded pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed the greater of twenty million dollars or five percent of the value of all contracts awarded by the authority in a given fiscal year.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire July 1, 2022 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.