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A1724
ASSEMBLY, No. 1724
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman ELLEN J. PARK
District 37 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Peterpaul, Tucker, Carter, Assemblyman
Spearman and Assemblywoman Speight
SYNOPSIS
���� Modifies title and role of Chief Diversity Officer;
establishes New Jersey Office of Supplier Development and Business
Opportunities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning the title and role of the Chief Diversity Officer, establishing the
New Jersey Office of Supplier
Development
and Business Opportunities, amending P.L.2017, c.95, and supplementing Title 52
of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
����� 1.� Section 1 of P.L.2017,
c.95 (C.52:32-18.1) is amended to read as follows:
���� 1.��� There is established in
the
[
Division
of Purchase and Property in the State
]
Department of the Treasury a Chief
[
Diversity
]
Supplier Development
Officer.� It shall
be the duty of the Chief
[
Diversity
]
Supplier Development
Officer to monitor
and
report on
the State�s public contracting process for the purpose of
compiling information on the awarding of contracts to
[
minority-owned
and women-owned
]
certified
business enterprises,
and
to monitor
the total value of all contracts and the percentage of the value
of those contracts awarded to
[
minority-owned
and women-owned business enterprises
]
certified
business enterprises.
����
It shall be the duty of the
Chief
Supplier Development
Officer
to collect data and information from all State agencies and State contracting
units and to publicly report this data and information
disaggregated by
race, gender, and ethnicity, to the extent possible, concerning the State�s
public procurement process.� Each State agency and State contracting unit shall
provide such data, information, resources, or other assistance as may be
necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the Chief Supplier Development Officer.
����
The Chief
Supplier Development
Officer shall report
directly to the State Treasurer.
����
As used in this section:
����
�Certified business
enterprise� means
a small business
as
defined in section
2 of P.L.1987, c.55
(C.52:27H-21.8), minority business or women�s business as defined in section 2
of P.L.1986, c.195 (C.52:27H-21.18), economically disadvantaged business or
socially disadvantaged business as defined in section 1 of P.L.2023, c.300 (C.52:32-31.15),
LGBTQ+ business as defined in section 1 of P.L.2024, c.10
(C.52:18A-49.1),
veteran-owned
business as defined in section 2 of P.L.2011, c.147 (C.52:32-50), and such
other business enterprises as the Chief Supplier Development Officer deems
relevant
and appropriate
.
����
�State agency� means any of
the principal departments in the Executive Branch of the State Government, and
any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within
or created by such department and any independent State authority, commission,
instrumentality or agency which is authorized by law to award State contracts.
����
�State contracting unit�
means a government entity that contracts for the procurement of goods,
services, professional services, or the construction of public works, either
pursuant to
chapter 32, 33, or
34 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, the �State College Contracts Law,�
P.L.1986, c.43 (C.18A:64-52 et seq.), P.L.2007, c.137 (C.52:18A-235 et seq.),
or any other applicable law.
����
�Woman� or �women� means a
female or females as defined in section 2 of P.L.1986, c.195 (C.52:27H-21.18).
(cf: P.L.2017, c.95, s.1)
����� 2.� (New section)� a.� There
is established in the Department of the Treasury the New Jersey Office of
Supplier
Development
and Business
Opportunities.
���� b.��� The office shall be
under the immediate supervision of the Chief Supplier Development Officer,
established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2017, c.95 (C.52:32-18.1).
���� c.���� The Chief
Supplier Development
Officer may, within the
limits of funds appropriated by the Legislature, hire and employ the staff
deemed necessary to effectuate the duties of the office.
���� d.��� The Office of Supplier
Development and Business Opportunities shall:
���� (1)� support the Chief
Supplier Development
Officer in achieving
their mission as established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2017, c.95
(C.52:32-18.1);
���� (2)� review existing State
procurement policies and practices;
���� (3)� expand outreach to, and
develop capacity-building opportunities for, certified business enterprises;
���� (4)� process and manage
business certifications for
certified business
enterprises and any business certification established by administrative action
or statute after the effective date of P.L.��� , c.��� (pending before the
Legislature as this bill)
;
���� (5)� monitor the awarding of
contracts to
certified
business
enterprises, and measure progress towards lawfully established and implemented
contracting and subcontracting programs;
���� (6)� provide ongoing and
relevant training to State agencies
and State
contracting units
to assist with the State�s public procurement process;
���� (7)� evaluate
and support
the feasibility of establishing
a cloud-based data management system contracts
that shall be used by all State agencies and State contracting units to
capture public contract awards, contract compliance, and payments to certified
business enterprises, prime contractors, and subcontractors.� The office shall
also monitor and track the use of this cloud-based data management system; and
���� (8)�
ensure compliance with contracting and subcontracting goals and preferences
established by law, rule, or regulation.
���� 3.�
(New section)� a.�
Each State agency and State contracting unit shall
report and submit to the office all data regarding awards issued by such State
agency or State contracting unit as required and in the manner specified by the
Chief Supplier Development Officer.
���� b.� Each State agency and
State contracting unit shall report and submit to the office all delegated
purchasing authority solicitations and awards issued by such State agency or
State contracting unit in accordance with R.S.52:25-23 and in the manner specified
by the Chief Supplier Development Officer.
���� c.���� Each State agency and
State contracting unit shall develop, and submit to the office within not less
than 180 calendar days prior to the end of each State fiscal year, a plan for
the following fiscal year to comply with the certification programs for certified
business enterprises.� The office shall analyze such plans and provide feedback
and guidance to the State agencies and State contracting units, as may be
necessary.
���� d.� As used in this section:
���� �Certified business
enterprise� means a small business as defined in section
2 of P.L.1987, c.55 (C.52:27H-21.8)
, minority
business or women�s business as defined in section 2 of P.L.1986, c.195
(C.52:27H-21.18), economically disadvantaged business or socially disadvantaged
business as defined in section 1 of P.L.2023, c.300 (C.52:32-31.15), LGBTQ+
business as defined in section 1 of P.L.2024, c.10 (C.52:18A-49.1),
veteran-owned business as defined in section 2 of P.L.2011, c.147 (C.52:32-50),
and such other business enterprises as the Chief Supplier Development Officer
deems relevant and appropriate.
���� �State agency� means any of
the principal departments in the Executive Branch of the State Government, and
any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within
or created by such department and any independent State authority, commission,
instrumentality, or agency which is authorized by law to award State contracts.
���� �State contracting unit� means
a government entity that contracts for the procurement of goods, services,
professional services, or the construction of public works, either pursuant to
chapter 32, 33, or 34 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, the �State College
Contracts Law,� P.L.1986, c.43 (C.18A:64-52 et seq.), P.L.2007, c.137
(C.52:18A-235 et seq.), or any other applicable law.
���� �Woman� or �women� means a
female or females as defined in section 2 of P.L.1986, c.195 (C.52:27H-21.18).
���� 4.� This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill modifies the title
and role of the Chief Diversity Officer and establishes the New Jersey Office
of Supplier Development and Business Opportunities.
���� Under current law, the Chief
Diversity Officer monitors the State�s public contracting process for the
purpose of compiling information on the awarding of contracts to minority-owned
and women-owned business enterprises, the total value of all contracts, and the
percentage of the value of those contracts awarded to minority-owned and
women-owned business enterprises.
���� This bill changes the title of
Chief Diversity Officer to Chief Supplier Development Officer and requires the
Chief Supplier Development Officer to monitor and publicly report the State�s
public contracting process for the purpose of compiling information on the
awarding of contracts to certified business enterprises, and to monitor the
total value of all contracts and the percentage of the value of those contracts
awarded to certified business enterprises.� Each State agency and State
contracting unit will be required to submit the necessary data and information
to the Chief Supplier Development Officer.� The Chief Supplier Development
Officer will be required to report directly to the State Treasurer.
���� This bill also establishes the
New Jersey Office of Supplier Development and Business Opportunities in the
Department of the Treasury.� The Office will be under the immediate supervision
of the Chief Supplier Development Officer, who can, within the limits of funds
appropriated by the Legislature, hire and employ staff.� The Office must:
���� (1)�� support the Chief
Supplier Development Officer in achieving their mission;
���� (2)�� review existing State
procurement policies and practices;
���� (3)�� expand outreach to, and
develop capacity-building opportunities for, certified business enterprises;
���� (4)�� process and manage
business certifications for certified business enterprises, and any business
certification created by administrative action or statute after the effective
date of this bill;
���� (5)�� monitor the awarding of
contracts to certified business enterprises, and measure progress towards
lawfully established and implemented contracting and subcontracting programs;
���� (6)�� provide ongoing and
relevant training to State agencies and State contracting units to assist with
the State�s public procurement process;
���� (7)�� evaluate and support the
feasibility of establishing a cloud-based data management system that will be
used by all State agencies and State contracting units to capture public
contract awards, contract compliance, and payments to certified business enterprises,
prime contractors, and subcontractors.� The Office will also monitor and track
the use of this cloud-based data management system; and
���� (8)� ensure compliance with
contracting and subcontracting goals and preferences established by law, rule,
or regulation.
���� Each State agency and State
contracting unit will be required to develop, and submit to the office within
not less than 180 calendar days prior to the end of each State fiscal year, a
plan for the following fiscal year to comply with the certification programs
for certified business enterprises.� The Office will analyze these plans and
provide feedback and guidance to the State agencies and State contracting units
as may be necessary.