Bill > HB1760

This bill updates and expands provisions related to veteran-owned and small diverse businesses in Pennsylvania's government procurement processes. It establishes a comprehensive framework to support veteran business enterprises and small diverse businesses, including creating a 5% statewide participation goal for veteran businesses and implementing new programs to assist these businesses in obtaining government contracts. The bill introduces several key changes, such as broadening the definition of veteran-owned businesses to include spouses and caregivers of disabled veterans, creating more flexible bonding and payment requirements, and establishing mechanisms for setting contract-specific goals and requesting waivers. The legislation also mandates regular disparity studies to assess the availability and utilization of veteran and small diverse businesses in state procurement, with provisions to review and adjust participation targets every five years. Additionally, the bill creates separate participation programs for general procurement and for construction and design professional services, with both programs set to expire on December 31, 2030, unless a disparity study demonstrates a significant underutilization of these businesses. The Department of General Services will be responsible for administering these programs, including developing certification processes, setting goals, providing training and support, and monitoring contract commitments.