Bill > S2175

This bill aims to promote equity in public contracting by establishing new requirements for state contracts and expanding reporting on minority and women-owned business enterprises (MBE/WBE). The bill defines "low income community" as a municipality with median household income 65% or less than the state median, or for larger municipalities, a specific historically recognized neighborhood. It requires contractors to provide detailed reporting with each invoice, including the percentage of payments allocated to MBE and WBE firms and the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of their Massachusetts workforce. The bill mandates that the state seek to achieve contracting goals that reflect the commonwealth's demographic diversity, and instructs contracting agencies to consider a bidder's past compliance with MBE/WBE commitments when evaluating bids. Additionally, the legislation aims to create job opportunities in low-income communities by targeting job creation to local residents and encouraging workforce diversity that matches the host community's demographics. Contractors must now provide documentation of joint ventures with minority or women-owned businesses and demonstrate their ability to advance the state's contracting and workforce inclusion goals. The bill requires comprehensive data collection on workforce demographics, work hours, and geographic distribution, with reports to be submitted to the Massachusetts Management and Reporting System (MMARS), while protecting individual employee privacy.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2175