By Dukes H.B. No. 2430 76R8719 E A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the state's program for contracting with historically 1-3 underutilized businesses. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 2161, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Sections 2161.065 and 2161.066 to read as 1-7 follows: 1-8 Sec. 2161.065. MENTOR-PROTEGE PROGRAM. (a) The commission 1-9 shall design a mentor-protege program to foster long-term 1-10 relationships between prime contractors and historically 1-11 underutilized businesses and to increase the ability of 1-12 historically underutilized businesses to contract with the state or 1-13 to receive subcontracts under a state contract. Each state agency 1-14 shall implement the program designed by the commission. 1-15 (b) The program must be designed so that each state agency 1-16 is directed to offer appropriate incentives to its contractors in 1-17 connection with any agency contract that offers subcontracting 1-18 opportunities if the contractor agrees to and is successful in: 1-19 (1) subcontracting with a historically underutilized 1-20 business in performing the contract; and 1-21 (2) providing business and developmental assistance to 1-22 the historically underutilized business subcontractor that is 1-23 designed to increase the historically underutilized business's 1-24 technical and business capabilities to perform more complex work. 2-1 (c) Participation in the program must be voluntary for both 2-2 the contractor and the historically underutilized business 2-3 subcontractor. 2-4 Sec. 2161.066. HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS FORUMS. 2-5 (a) The commission shall design a program of forums, to be held at 2-6 agency offices where historically underutilized businesses are 2-7 invited by agencies to deliver technical and business presentations 2-8 that demonstrate their capability to do business with the agency: 2-9 (1) to senior managers and procurement personnel at 2-10 state agencies that acquire goods and services of a type supplied 2-11 by the historically underutilized businesses; and 2-12 (2) to contractors with the state who may be 2-13 subcontracting for goods and services of a type supplied by the 2-14 historically underutilized businesses. 2-15 (b) Each state agency shall participate in the program by 2-16 sending senior managers and procurement personnel to attend 2-17 relevant presentations and by informing the agency's contractors 2-18 about presentations that may be relevant to anticipated 2-19 subcontracting opportunities. 2-20 (c) Each state agency that has a historically underutilized 2-21 businesses coordinator shall: 2-22 (1) design its own program that is modeled to the 2-23 extent appropriate on the program developed by the commission; and 2-24 (2) sponsor presentations by historically 2-25 underutilized businesses at the agency. 2-26 (d) The commission shall sponsor presentations given at 2-27 locations that can easily be attended by representatives of and 3-1 contractors with state agencies that do not have a historically 3-2 underutilized businesses coordinator. 3-3 (e) The commission and each state agency that has a 3-4 historically underutilized businesses coordinator shall 3-5 aggressively identify and notify individual historically 3-6 underutilized businesses regarding opportunities to make a 3-7 presentation regarding the types of goods and services supplied by 3-8 the historically underutilized business and shall advertise in 3-9 appropriate trade publications that target historically 3-10 underutilized businesses regarding opportunities to make a 3-11 presentation. 3-12 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 3-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-18 passage, and it is so enacted.