Pennsylvania Secures Recovery Act Funds For Small And Disadvantaged Businesses

Requirements Already Being Incorporated in Recovery Contracts

Governor Edward G. Rendell today signed an executive order that formalizes existing practices to ensure small and disadvantaged businesses receive fair opportunities to compete for state-administered funds through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“We already have a good track record and processes in place to ensure that small and disadvantaged businesses can participate in state contracts,” Governor Rendell said. “We have been incorporating these principles in stimulus contracts from the beginning.

“Because they provide creativity, innovation and technical expertise, small and disadvantaged businesses are the engine of our economy and play a critical role in stimulating economic growth,” the Governor said.

Department of General Services Secretary James Creedon said that since the Governor took office in 2003, the state has increased the level of participation by minority and women owned firms in state contracting from a low of one percent to more than 10 percent.

“We have made dramatic improvements in the level of participation by small businesses in state procurement and construction. We hope that the lessons learned in this process will help us achieve strong results in Recovery Act participation and, more importantly, create economic opportunity for small businesses throughout the state,” said Creedon, who also serves as chief implementation officer for Recovery funds.

The executive order establishes an overall commonwealth goal that at least 10 percent of Recovery Act contract funds should go to small and disadvantaged businesses. It requires state agencies, contractors and grantees to work directly with the Department of General Services’ Bureau of Minority and Women Business Opportunities, conduct outreach efforts to small and disadvantaged businesses and track progress through Sept. 20, 2011.

The order also directs the departments of Community and Economic Development and Military and Veterans Affairs to participate in providing information and opportunities for small, disadvantaged and veteran-owned businesses.

By mid-November the state’s stimulus tracking Web site, www.recovery.pa.gov, will include expanded resources for small and disadvantaged businesses in the “Opportunities” section.

For additional information about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act initiatives in Pennsylvania, visit www.recovery.pa.gov.

Topics: creativity, disadvantaged business owners, economic development, economic growth, Economy, fair opportunities, innovation, Pennsylvania, recovery act, small business, state contracts, technical expertise, technology, U.S., United States

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