Using existing resources, the Department of General Services’ small business advocate shall, at a minimum, provide the following services:

(a) Assist certified small businesses and certified disabled veteran business enterprises by providing information regarding all of the following:

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Terms Used In California Government Code 14845

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Department: means the Department of General Services. See California Government Code 14837
  • Director: means the Director of General Services. See California Government Code 14837
  • Disabled veteran business enterprise: means an enterprise that has been certified as meeting the qualifications established by paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of §. See California Government Code 14837
  • Small business: means an independently owned and operated business that is not dominant in its field of operation, the principal office of which is located in California, the officers of which are domiciled in California, and which, together with affiliates, has 100 or fewer employees, and average annual gross receipts of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) or less over the previous three years, or is a manufacturer, as defined in subdivision (c), with 100 or fewer employees. See California Government Code 14837
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Government Code 18
  • state agency: includes every state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, and commission. See California Government Code 11000

(1) Identification of potential certified small business and certified disabled veteran business enterprise subcontracting opportunities.

(2) Solicitation protest procedures and timelines.

(3) Prompt payment procedures.

(b) Using existing resources, develop and maintain an outreach and education program to assist certified small businesses and certified disabled veteran business enterprises to participate in the California multiple award schedule program. The department shall actively promote the availability of certified small business and certified disabled veteran business enterprise suppliers to deliver or provide a broad range of goods and services to governmental agencies through their participation in the California multiple award schedule program established pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code and other types of contracts established by state agencies for repetitively used and commonly needed goods and services.

(c) Whenever the director consolidates the needs of multiple state agencies and establishes a contract for repetitively purchased or commonly needed goods or services, the director shall both encourage bidders to utilize certified small business and certified disabled veteran business enterprise suppliers and subcontractors, and utilize multiple award methods whenever practicable to further ensure that a fair proportion of needed goods and services are obtained from certified small businesses and certified disabled veteran business enterprises.

(d) Using existing resources, establish a training and development program for acquisition professionals, including methods for structuring solicitations to enhance the participation of certified small businesses and certified disabled veteran business enterprises in state contracting.

(e) Using existing resources, the department shall establish a recognition and awards program for state employees who make an outstanding contribution to the state’s overall effort to increase the level of certified small business participation in state contracting or certified disabled veteran business enterprise participation in state contracting.

(f) Prepare, and make available to the public, a directory of certified small business and certified disabled veteran business enterprise suppliers.

(g) In its review of state agency acquisitions, the department, as applicable, shall identify areas where improvements in the level of participation of certified small businesses and certified disabled veteran business enterprises in state contracting can be achieved.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 756, Sec. 11. (AB 1574) Effective January 1, 2022.)