New state laws taking effect Oct. 1 will make it easier for small, women-owned and minority-owned firms to conduct business with the state of Connecticut, according to an announcement from Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman.
The new state provisions include:
- Raising the threshold for requiring contractor prequalification from $500,000 to $1 million, removing some bonding requirements for contracts under $1 million that have historically been a barrier for some small businesses.
- Updating reporting requirements on agency expenditures for contracts with small, minority- and women-owned businesses. This will help agencies identify their set-aside goals earlier by aligning them with the fiscal year cycle and allowing for automation of the reporting process.
- Increasing the threshold for minor purchases from $10,000 to $25,000 and the posting requirement for competitively bid purchases from $50,000 to $100,000. This opens new opportunities for small, women-owned and minority-owned suppliers not currently under state contracts.
Gilman called Oct. 1 “an important step in our collaborative effort to expand opportunities for prospective vendors to contract with the state of Connecticut.”
The Department of Administrative Services’ Supplier Diversity Unit offers a certification program that provides small and minority-owned businesses with tools to apply for state contracts and procurement opportunities. More than 1,800 businesses are currently registered.
