TO: Members of the Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee

FROM: Hilary Chebra, Manager, Government Affairs, CCSNJ

RE:                            Support of:

• A-992 (Reynolds-Jackson/Stanley/Sumter)
• A-2146 (Reynolds-Jackson/Wimberly/Sumter) 
• A-3424 (Sumter)

The Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ) would like to voice our support for legislation before you today which would support the development and growth of minority and women-owned businesses in New Jersey. The CCSNJ supports the following bills:

• A-992 (Reynolds-Jackson/Stanley/Sumter) - Authorizes State Chief Diversity Officer to conduct disparity study concerning utilization of minority-owned and women-owned businesses in State procurement process.
• A-2146 (Reynolds-Jackson/Wimberly/Sumter) - Creates State business assistance program to establish contracting agency procurement goals for socially and economically disadvantaged business enterprises.
• A-3424 (Sumter) - Establishes "Biannual Small Business Matchmaker Initiative" in Department of State.

As written, these bills take several actions to assist minority and women-owned businesses in New Jersey. A-992 (Reynolds-Jackson/Stanley/Sumter) would require the State Chief Diversity Officer to conduct a disparity study to determine whether disparities exist in the availability and utilization of minority-owned and women-owned businesses in the State procurement process. Understanding whether disparities exist if the first step to addressing them to ensure an equitable procurement process.

Additionally, A-2146 (Reynolds-Jackson/ Wimberly/Sumter) creates a state business assistance program to establish contracting agency procurement goals for socially and economically disadvantaged business enterprises. This bill will support the growth of socially and economically disadvantaged businesses and will to foster their development to ensure they are active participants in contracting with state Agencies.

Finally, A-3424 (Sumter) requires the Business Action Center (BAC) to establish in the New Jersey Department of State a program, to be known as the “Biannual Business Matchmaker Initiative”. This biannual business matchmaking event will connect small businesses with representatives of federal, State, and local government agencies and their government contractors seeking small businesses that would provide the government contractor with subcontracting services.

Thank you for the ability to share our support on the above measures.