A. For competitive bids submitted to the state pursuant to the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act or pursuant to the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974 by certified minority businesses, the State Purchasing Director shall prepare and implement a bid-preference program. The program shall require that a percentage be added to the price of the lowest bid and if the certified minority business enterprise submits a bid that falls between the lowest bid plus the percentage, it shall receive the contract.
Provided however, in no instance shall the minority business enterprise be entitled to both a minority bid preference under this act and the preference for state-produced goods pursuant to Section 85.32 of this title.
B. The minority business enterprise preference program shall be implemented on the following schedule:
1. For the 1988-1989 fiscal year, the State Purchasing Director shall certify the percent of funds expended on state contracts which have been awarded to minority business enterprises certified pursuant to Section 7 of this act. If the State Purchasing Director certifies that a minimum of ten percent (10%) of the funds expended on state contracts were expended on contracts awarded to minority business enterprises certified pursuant to Section 7 of this act then the minority percentage bid preference shall be zero. If the percentage of such funds expended on minority business enterprises is less than ten percent (10%) then a five percent (5%) bid preference shall go into effect; and
2. For each following fiscal year, the State Purchasing Director shall certify the percent of funds expended on state contracts which have been awarded to minority business enterprises. When the State Purchasing Director certifies that a minimum of ten percent (10%) of the funds expended on state contracts are expended on contracts awarded to minority business enterprises then the percentage bid preference shall remain at that preference level for a period of one (1) year. After that one-year period, unless the minority bid preference level is zero, the State Purchasing Director shall reduce by one percent (1%) each year the bid preference level unless the required percent of funds expended on state contracts awarded to minority business enterprises decreases below the ten percent (10%) minimum. At that time, the State Purchasing Director shall increase the percentage bid preference one percent (1%) each year to a maximum of five percent (5%) to attain the minimum ten percent (10%) goal of the program. Each year the State Purchasing Director may increase or decrease the bid percentage level in compliance with this section to maintain the minimum ten percent (10%) goal of the program.
C. The Department of Transportation is exempted from the provisions of the Minority Business Enterprise Assistance Act.
Added by Laws 1987, c. 191, § 5, operative July 1, 1987.