12-3-807 - Diversity business program director Annual goals for contracting with businesses. - Tennessee Statutes

12-3-807. Diversity business program director Annual goals for contracting with businesses.

(a)  The commissioner, as director of the governor's office of diversity business enterprises, shall appoint a diversity business program director to work in conjunction with the departments of general service, finance and administration, transportation, economic and community development and the state building commission to:

     (1)  Compile and maintain a comprehensive list of minority owned, woman owned and small businesses by cooperating with both governmental and private sector entities in locating potential sources for various products and services;

     (2)  Assist minority owned, woman owned and small businesses in complying with state procurement and contracting procedures and requirements;

     (3)  Examine requests from state agencies for the purchase of materials, supplies, equipment or services to help determine which invitations to bid and requests for proposals may offer increased opportunities for minority owned, woman owned and small businesses; and

     (4)  Make recommendations to appropriate state agencies for the simplification of procurement and contract specifications and terms in order to increase the opportunities of participation by minority owned, woman owned and small businesses.

(b)  All state agencies shall fully cooperate with the governor's office of diversity business enterprises and shall provide staff support and any other assistance upon request of the commissioner. This cooperation specifically includes, but is not limited to, establishing and striving to achieve annual departmental or agency level internal goals for minority owned, woman owned and small business contracting. In establishing and striving to achieve these annual goals, each agency shall work closely with the governor's office of diversity business enterprises. Each agency shall provide as requested to the governor's office of diversity business enterprises periodic reports on upcoming procurement and contract opportunities and on the level of participation by minority owned, woman owned and small businesses in that agency's procurements and contracts.

[Acts 1980, ch. 888, § 9; T.C.A., § 12-3-607; Acts 1988, ch. 818, § 7; 2004, ch. 569, § 1.]