Senate Bill 2340

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE SENATE AND THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A COPY OF ITS STUDY TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT STATISTICAL DISPARITY IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF QUALIFIED MINORITY CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS OF GOODS AND SERVICES DOING BUSINESS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AND THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF SUCH MINORITY CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS WITH WHOM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, OR WITH WHOM A PRIME CONTRACTOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, HAS CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE GOODS AND SERVICES; TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO IMPROVE THE NUMBER OF MINORITY AND SOCIALLY/ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED VENDORS DOING BUSINESS WITH THE DEPARTMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Department of Human Services shall conduct and prepare, or shall contract for the preparation of, a study to determine if there is a significant statistical disparity in the total number of qualified minority contractors or subcontractors of goods and services doing business with the Department of Human Services and the actual number of such minority contractors and subcontractors with whom the Department of Human Services, or with whom a prime contractor with the Department of Human Services, has contracted to provide goods and services.

(2) The Department of Human Services shall establish a business assistance program and policy known as the Opportunities for Diversity in Contracting Program (ODC Program) with the goal of improving the number of minority, socially and economically disadvantaged vendors that do business with the Department of Human Services by facilitating and improving access to government contracts. The Department of Human Services shall adopt rules to administer the program that do all of the following:

(a) Establish procedures by which a sole proprietorship, association, partnership, corporation, limited liability corporation, or joint venture may apply for certification as minority or ODC business enterprise.

(b) Establish agency procurement goals for contracting with minority and ODC business enterprises in the awarding of contracts based on the availability of eligible program participants as determined by the Department of Human Services.

(3) The Department of Human Services shall file a copy of its study with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives by not later than December 31, 2021, and annually thereafter.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.