Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 11 and Chapter 24, Article 1, Code of Virginia.
A. Out of the amounts provided in this item, $100,000 the first year from the general fund is provided to support the completion of an assessment of state structures vulnerable to man-made or natural emergencies.
B.1. The Department shall lead, provide administrative support to, and convene an annual public body procurement workgroup to review and study proposed changes to the Code of Virginia in areas of non-technology goods and services, technology goods and services, construction, transportation, and professional services procurements. The workgroup shall consist of the Director of the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, Director of the Department of General Services, the Chief Information Officer of Virginia Information Technology Agency, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation, Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, the President of the Virginia Association of State Colleges and University Purchasing Professionals (VASCUPP), the President of the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing or their designees; a representative from the Office of the Attorney General Government Operations and Transactions Division, a staff member of the Virginia House Appropriations Committee, Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, and Division of Legislative Services.
2. The workgroup is charged with hearing legislation referred by letter from the Chairs of the House Rules, General Laws, and Appropriations Committees, and Chairs of the Senate Rules, General Laws and Technology, and Finance and Appropriations Committees. The workgroup will hear from stakeholders identified by the patron of the referred legislation and other interested individuals to discuss the legislation's impacts to: 1) small businesses to include women and minorities; 2) the Commonwealth's budget; and 3) the Commonwealth's procurement processes. Such meetings will be open to the public. In addition, the Chairs of the House Rules and House Appropriations Committees and Chairs of Senate Rules and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees may request the workgroup review procurement related proposals in advance of upcoming legislative sessions to better understand potential impacts prior to the start of the annual General Assembly Session.
3. The workgroup will first examine current construction procurement processes by state agencies and covered institutions, needed to incentivize positive business behavior by general contractors that support achieving the Commonwealth's discretionary spend goals for small, women, and minority owned businesses. Additionally, the workgroup will provide best practices associated with oversight of subcontracts to include reporting requirements for payroll records, contracts and payments to other businesses, including individuals classified as independent contractors. In its initial review, the workgroup will provide findings to the Chairs of the House Rules, General Laws, and Appropriations Committees, and Chairs of the Senate Rules, General Laws and Technology, and Finance and Appropriations Committees, on or before September 1, 2021.