§ 15-4-301. Title

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Minority and Women-Owned Business Economic Development Act”.

§ 15-4-302. Purpose — Goals — Notice

(a) The General Assembly finds that it is the policy of the State of Arkansas to support equal opportunity as well as economic development in every sector. (b) The General Assembly recognizes that it is the purpose of this subchapter to support to the fullest all possible participation of firms owned and controlled by minority […]

§ 15-4-303. Definitions

As used in this subchapter: (1) (A) “Exempt” means goods and services classified as exempt for the purpose of administering this subchapter. (B) The classification shall be determined by the Office of State Procurement and the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and submitted to the Arkansas Economic […]

§ 15-4-304. Creation

The Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission: (1) Is established and confirmed within the Arkansas Economic Development Commission; (2) Shall be operated as a division within the commission; and (3) Shall perform the functions and duties as provided in this subchapter.

§ 15-4-305. Administrator

(a) The head of the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission is the Administrator of the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. (b) The administrator shall be appointed by the Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. (c) […]

§ 15-4-306. Duties

The Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission shall: (1) Provide technical, managerial, and counseling services and assistance to minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises; (2) With the participation of other state departments and state agencies as appropriate: (A) Develop comprehensive plans and specific program goals for a […]

§ 15-4-307. Minority and Women-owned Business Advisory Council

(a) The Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission shall be represented by a statewide Minority and Women-owned Business Advisory Council and shall report to that council. (b) (1) The council shall consist of nine (9) members. (2) The council shall: (A) Monitor progress, make recommendations, and develop strategic […]

§ 15-4-308. Administration

(a) The Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Office of State Procurement shall serve as the principal coordinators of the initiative to ensure the successful implementation of this subchapter. (b) The division and the office shall provide assistance to minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises […]

§ 15-4-309. Exempt contracts

Upon the approval of the Minority and Women-owned Business Advisory Council, the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Office of State Procurement shall determine the classifications of state contracts to be exempted from the goals established by this subchapter whenever there exists an insufficient number of […]

§ 15-4-310. Minority and women-owned business officer

(a) Each state agency shall designate an individual as its minority and women-owned business officer. (b) The minority and women-owned business officer shall be the person within the state agency with whom the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Minority and Women-owned Business Advisory Council shall […]

§ 15-4-311. Annual minority and women-owned purchasing plan

(a) Prior to June 30 each year, each state agency shall submit to the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Office of State Procurement a minority and women-owned purchasing plan that shall outline the state agency’s plan to reach its goals for the coming fiscal year. […]

§ 15-4-312. State agencies to submit reports

Within fifteen (15) days of the close of each six-month period, each state agency shall submit a report to the Minority and Women-owned Business Advisory Council summing up total procurement for all state contracts, except exempt state contracts of the state agency, and the dollar value and the percentage of the state contracts of the […]

§ 15-4-313. Accelerated payments

To ensure that minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises are not financially hindered due to delays in payment by state agencies entering into state contracts with minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises under this subchapter, state agencies shall accelerate payment to minority vendors and women-owned vendors to preclude accounts receivable problems of minority […]

§ 15-4-314. Minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises certification process

(a) The Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission shall promulgate rules to create a certification process for minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises. (b) The certification process shall include without limitation: (1) Criteria for certification that shall include without limitation: (A) A determination that the business is […]

§ 15-4-315. Small procurements

To assist the state in ensuring that the percentages of the total amount expended in state-funded and state-directed public construction programs and procurement of commodities and services for the state each fiscal year under § 15-4-302 are paid to minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises under this subchapter, a procurement that does not exceed […]