WHEREAS, California has over one million small
businesses which employ more than 6.8 million people, this represents 98
percent of all California enterprises and employs more than 50 percent of our
workforce. California's sustained economic prosperity is tied directly to the
success of the State's small businesses; and WHEREAS, it is the State of
California's policy to encourage the establishment of new businesses, grow
existing businesses and promote more small business contracting with the State
of California; and
WHEREAS, in response to business concerns about the difficulty of accessing
information related to small business on various websites the Labor &
Workforce Development Agency, the Business Transportation & Housing Agency
and the Department of Food & Agriculture formed the California Economic
Development Partnership (Partnership) to develop a website (calbusiness.ca.gov)
to assist businesses. This website provides a single portal for accessing
information for starting, growing, and financing, expanding or relocating a
business in California. The portal seeks to simplify the path to the resources
businesses need which are provided by a myriad of public and private sources,
from State and federal agencies to local private non-profit organizations; and
WHEREAS, it is the State of California's policy to promote small business
participation in its procurement and contracting processes by requiring all
State agencies, departments, boards and commissions to achieve a goal of 25
percent small business participation in state procurements and contracts; and
my Administration is firmly committed to meet or exceed this vital goal through
the coordinated efforts of all levels of State government; and
WHEREAS, the State of California purchases more than $8.9 billion annually in
goods and services (both non-information technology and information
technology), construction and public works.
WHEREAS, the State of California purchases more than $8.9 billion annually in
goods and services (both non-information technology and information
technology), construction and public works.
1. Each agency secretary, department director, and executive officer shall
ensure that the State's procurement and contracting processes are administered
in order to meet or exceed the 25 percent small business participation goal,
and identify a Small Business Advocate at the agency, department, board, or
commission level, encouraging them to develop and share innovative procurement
and contracting practices from the public and private sectors to increase
opportunities for small businesses.
2. The Department of General Services (DGS) shall monitor the progress of all
agencies, departments, board and commissions towards meeting the 25 percent
small business participation goal. The DGS and its California Small Business
Advisory Council shall notify each agency secretary, department director, or
executive officer, and Small Business Advocate of their individual successes
and deficiencies, based on the most recent annual report. The DGS will also
share this information with the California Small Business Advoca3. State
agencies, departments, boards and commissions that have not achieved the small
business participation goal must submit an Implementation and Corrective Action
Plan to the DGS. The DGS will share these plans with the California Small
Business Advocate and together they will explore ways, including Memorandums of
Understanding, to work with departments to improve performancete in the
Governor's Office of Planning and Research.
3. State agencies, departments, boards and commissions that have not achieved
the small business participation goal must submit an Implementation and
Corrective Action Plan to the DGS. The DGS will share these plans with the
California Small Business Advocate and together they will explore ways,
including Memorandums of Understanding, to work with departments to improve
performance.
4. All State agencies, departments, boards and commissions shall use the
Statutory Informal Bidding Provisions to contract with small businesses for
goods and services contracts under $100,000 and construction contracts under
$120,000 whenever possible.
5. The DGS shall focus on achieving small business participation by enhancing
the approaches pioneered under the California Strategic Sourcing Initiative
such as Partnering Workshops as part of Bidders' Conferences. These workshops
successfully bring prime vendors and small businesses together to jointly
obtain State contracts.
6. California Economic Development Partnership shall continue to facilitate the
improved access of information to businesses through its web portal and other
technologies. The DGS shall actively promote small business certification and
help certified small businesses market their products, goods, and services to
the State and further promote the use of the California State Contracts
Register, Subscription Outreach Service, which notifies potential bidders of
bid opportunities advertised in their specific area of interest. All State
agencies, departments, boards and commissions are to work with the DGS by
providing accessible links to their websites listing current bid opportunities.
7. The California Small Business Advocate is directed to enhance the State's
Small Business program, focusing particularly on areas related to regulations
and helping small businesses secure needed financing. The Small Business
Advocate shall coordinate with the DGS to cooperatively enhance the State's
Small Business program and is directed to conduct five regional workshops
within the next 12 months focusing on the establishment and growth of small
businesses and increased contracting opportunities within the State of
California.
State constitutional officers, the University of California, the California
State University, the Lottery Commission, the Public Employees' Retirement
System, the State Teachers' Retirement System, the State Compensation Insurance
Fund, and other independent State entities are encouraged to take all necessary
actions to comply with the intent and the requirements of this Order. This
Order is not intended to, and does not create any right or benefit, substantive
or procedural, enforceable in law or equity, against the State of California,
its departments, agencies or other entities, its officers or employees, or any
other person. Nothing in this Order shall be construed to require any action
that would result in the violation of a court order or a loss of eligibility
for federal funding.
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