Baker proposes law to enhance diversity in state contracts

Photo | SHNS Gov. Charlie Baker

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By State House News Service

New measures from the Baker administration to ensure diversity in state contracting include legislation that would elevate the profile of a state office and charge it with holding agencies accountable.

The governor's office announced a bill Monday to establish the state's Supplier Diversity Office as a separate agency under the Executive Office of Administration and Finance with tools to ensure compliance with diversity goals, including a state spending audit function.

Other planned improvements, according to the administration, include a more active role for the new office in engaging diverse and small businesses in public procurements, expanded reporting for spending between state contractors and their diverse business partners, publication of minority-business-enterprise spending by race and ethnicity, expansion of the Small Business Purchasing Program, increased bid evaluation percentages for procurements in order to promote more diversity, and translation of SDO materials into multiple languages.

"Our administration is committed to continuing to promote growth and opportunity and ensure the Commonwealth takes every opportunity to support and benefit from its diverse business community," Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement. He said the administration had worked closely on the effort with leaders in the minority business community, the Black and Latino Caucus, and Black Advisory Commission and Latino Advisory Commission.