SB 291 - This act requires the Office of Administration to set a goal of awarding at least 3% of contracts for goods, services, and supplies to qualifying vendors. Qualifying vendors are defined as a person with certain disabilities, a business or entity that employs such individuals provided such persons perform at least 70% of the direct labor hours required to fill the contract or a nonprofit agency that meets the eligibility criteria to participate in the federal AbilityOne program. Bids shall only be awarded if the qualifying vendor's proposal does not exceed the fair market price for the same products or services in the opinion of the Office of Administration and individuals with qualifying disabilities shall be paid at least minimum wage for direct labor hours performed under the contract.
Before awarding a contract, the Office of Administration shall consider the interests of businesses currently under contract and determine if failing to renew the contract would have a severe adverse impact on the current contracting business. An impact of 15% or greater of the total revenue of such business shall be deemed severe.
Suspected violations of the eligibility criteria for a qualifying vendor shall be investigated by the State Auditor.
CHRIS HOGERTY