What's happening
This bill creates a pilot program allowing the Dormitory Authority to award certain contracts specifically to small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses.
Why it matters
Targets Systemic Barriers. By setting aside contracts specifically for small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses, the pilot program directly addresses historic challenges these groups face in accessing public contract opportunities, potentially increasing their participation and economic impact.
Pilot Program with Guardrails. The Dormitory Authority has the sole discretion to designate which contracts are included, but must clearly advertise these opportunities and follow existing procurement guidelines, ensuring a structured and transparent process.
Ensures Fair Competition and Value. Contracts under this program require at least three qualified bidders; if this threshold isn't met or bids are unreasonably high, the contract is pulled from the program, aiming to maintain competition and prevent inflated costs.
Time-Limited and Capped Scope. The program is temporary (ending July 1, 2023) and cannot exceed $20 million or 5% of the Authority’s annual contract value, allowing evaluation of its effectiveness before broader adoption and limiting financial risk.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Boost Contracts for Small Businesses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by S6301
- Rules report cal.656
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- 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 Diverse Businesses
Signed by Governor · Sponsor James Sanders Jr.
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7795
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE -- (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 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 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 eight-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 twenty-eight hundred seventy-nine of this chapter, with participation in the pilot program confined to small businesses, as defined in section one hundred thirty-one of the economic development law, and minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, as defined in section three hundred ten of the executive law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09731-01-9
A. 7795 2
(b) Procurements made pursuant to this subdivision shall be designated as such by the authority, in its sole discretion, pursuant to pre-established criteria contained in the authority's procurement and policy guidelines described in paragraph (a) of this subdivision. Such designation shall 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, 2023 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.