2. a. The Chief Diversity Officer and the department, in partnership with the Business Action Center, shall host an annual program, to be known as the “Annual Business Matchmaking Event,” with the purpose of connecting small businesses with representatives of federal, State, and local government agencies and their government contractors seeking small businesses to provide the government contractor with subcontracting services. The matchmaking event shall be organized or structured to ensure that small businesses participating in the matchmaking event are informed of the government subcontracting service opportunities available to small businesses and that government contractors realize the potential of partnering with small businesses for subcontracting services. The Chief Diversity Officer and the department shall establish the terms and conditions by which a small business and government contractor may apply for participation in the matchmaking event. Prior to planning or scheduling the matchmaking event, the Chief Diversity Officer and the center shall coordinate to contact State and federal agencies to request that those agencies send any small business contact information, which shall be used by the Chief Diversity Officer and the center to solicit small businesses for participation in the matchmaking event.

b. The Chief Diversity Officer and the center are authorized to seek and accept gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the costs of hosting the matchmaking event, except that the Chief Diversity Officer and the center may not accept a gift, grant, or donation that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with any other law of this State. The Chief Diversity Officer and the center may enter into an agreement with a nonprofit corporation to allow the nonprofit corporation to host the matchmaking event. The Chief Diversity Officer and the center shall coordinate the scheduling and promotion of the matchmaking event in conjunction with the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, the New Jersey State Veterans Chamber of Commerce, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, and the National Federation of Independent Business in New Jersey.

c. The Chief Diversity Officer, in partnership with the center, shall report no later than one year following each annual matchmaking event to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C. 52:14-19.1), to the Legislature on the number and percentage of subcontracts awarded to small businesses and the types of government contracting services provided to small businesses as a result of their participation in the annual matchmaking event.

L.2023, c.165, s.2.