State to expand ‘Set-asides’

(March 20, 2008) Lawmakers are proposing to expand a program that requires certain types of businesses to be included in work performed under state contracts.

Currently, the Minority and Small Contractors’ Set-Aside Program reserves a percentage of work for small-business contractors — defined as those with less than $15 million in revenue from the previous year – as well as for minority owned contractors.

Two bills approved by the Government Administration and Elections Committee would expand the law in different ways:
• SB-259 would include disabled veteran contractors
• SB-537 would require municipalities to abide by the state set-aside program for municipal contracts.

Both bills are now awaiting action in the Senate. For more information about set-aside programs, contact CBIA’s Kevin Hennessy at 860-244-1979 or Kevin.Hennessy@cbia.com.