Expands opportunities for veteran-owned business enterprises.
Summary
This bill creates a new temporary article in the Executive Law to expand participation by certified veteran-owned business enterprises in New York State contracting. It establishes a statewide certification program for veteran-owned businesses, defines who qualifies as a veteran and as a certified veteran-owned business enterprise, and assigns the Office of General Services and its Division of Veterans' Business Development responsibility for certification, outreach, training, and oversight.
The bill directs the state to develop rules and procedures to increase veteran-owned business participation in state contracts, including the creation of a directory of certified firms, agency training, performance reporting, and annual reporting to the Governor and legislative leaders. It also authorizes the state to set participation goals and, where appropriate, reserve or set aside certain procurements for veteran-owned businesses, while preserving existing procurement priorities and comptroller approval requirements. The measure requires a study to determine the percentage of contracts that should be set aside and provides that the act will expire five years after taking effect.
Impact
The bill would add a new, time-limited procurement preference framework to the Executive Law, affecting state agencies, public authorities, and certain state-related entities that enter into covered contracts. It would require the Office of General Services to certify veteran-owned businesses, maintain a directory, issue regulations, and monitor compliance, while also imposing reporting and training obligations on agencies. The measure could affect how state contracts are solicited and awarded by creating new opportunities and potentially reserving some procurements for veteran-owned firms, but it does not eliminate existing procurement rules and expressly preserves preferred-source priorities and required approvals.
Sentiment
The bill’s stated purpose and structure suggest generally favorable treatment of veteran-owned businesses and an intent to increase their access to state procurement opportunities. Because no committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, there is no direct evidence of debate, opposition, or support from the legislative record included here. Based on the text alone, the measure appears designed as a pro-veteran economic development and procurement initiative.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are the use of set-asides or reserved procurements, the scope of the statewide participation goal, and the administrative burden of certification, monitoring, and reporting. Agencies and procurement officials may be concerned about implementation complexity, while other stakeholders may question whether the proposed preferences could affect competition or procurement efficiency. The bill also leaves key details to future rulemaking, including the participation percentage and certification standards, which could draw scrutiny over how broadly the program is ultimately applied.
Establishes minority youth-owned business enterprises in the state of New York and the city of New York; creates certain contracting opportunities for members of minority youth-owned business enterprises; establishes an implementation program and oversight committee for minority youth-owned business enterprises.
Enacts the lift our communities advertise locally (LOCAL) program which provides a tax credit on advertising for locally owned minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, certified service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises or a small business.
Enacts the lift our communities advertise locally (LOCAL) program which provides a tax credit on advertising for locally owned minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, certified service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises or a small business.
Requires that public contracts be divided by size into large, medium, small and micro contracts for the purpose of increasing opportunities for small businesses, including minority-owned business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises, to participate in state contracts.