Section 550.306  Small, Minority and Women's Businesses

It is Agency policy to award a fair share of agreements to small, minority, and women's businesses.  The Agency shall take affirmative steps to assure that small, minority, and women's businesses are used when possible as sources of supplies, construction, and services.  Affirmative steps shall include the following:

a)         Including qualified small, minority, and women's businesses on solicitation lists.

b)         Assuring that small, minority, and women's businesses are solicited whenever they are potential sources as designated by the Department of Central Management Services, USEPA or any other federal or state agency authorized to make such designation.

c)         Dividing total requirements, are required by law or regulation, into small tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation of small, minority, and women's businesses.

d)         Establishing delivery schedules, where the requirements of the work permit, which will encourage participation by small, minority, and women's businesses.

e)         Using the services and assistance of the Small Business Administration and the Office of Minority Business Enterprise of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

f)          If the contractor awards subagreements, requiring the contractor to take the affirmative steps in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this Section.