§ 1.922. Responsibilities.
(a) DGS shall lead and coordinate efforts with agencies to increase their participation in the Commonwealth’s SBR program. DGS shall post data on a semiannual basis for each agency’s total qualifying operational spend for SBR procurements.
(b) The Secretary of General Services shall utilize the United States Small Business Administration’s methodology and Commonwealth-specific data to inform the Commonwealth’s definition of a small business as it relates to the highest revenue limit.
(c) DGS and DOT shall collaboratively undertake joint initiatives to facilitate an open, inclusive and accessible contracting environment with the goal of increasing small businesses and small diverse businesses spending as a percentage of all dollars paid for goods and services by the agencies for their respective programs. These initiatives include the following:
(1) Undertaking outreach and engagement with prospective small diverse businesses. DGS and DOT shall use internal resources to develop and execute an outreach strategy to identify relevant small diverse businesses doing business in this Commonwealth that could provide goods or services to the Commonwealth. DGS and DOT shall leverage external partners, including small business development centers, incubators, CDFIs, local governments, chambers of commerce and anchor institutions, to identify and connect with small diverse businesses.
(2) Connecting firms to wraparound business assistance. DGS and DOT shall partner with DCED and external partners to connect small businesses and small diverse businesses doing business with the Commonwealth to curriculum and services to support financial management, and strengthen their overall project management, navigate bonding and insurance requirements, and access government contracting opportunities, including providing effective responses to solicitations. These resources shall be deployed through trainings and, where possible, highlighted on the DGS and DOT web sites.
(3) Developing consistent and regular data reporting. DGS shall develop an internal data dashboard and reporting mechanisms to provide regularly updated information on agencies’ procurement spending levels and percentages, including data on the agencies’ small business and small diverse business programs. DGS shall post a list of all previous contracts awarded to small businesses and small diverse businesses and awarded prime contractor’s engagement of small subcontractors and small diverse subcontractors from Fiscal Year 2018 forward, including a standardized dataset on awarded contracts by category and spend amounts.
(4) Promoting efficient verification. DGS shall ensure completed verification requests take no longer than 10 business days to approve.
(5) Ensuring prompt vendor payments. DGS shall establish a policy that directs agencies’ prime contractors in bid solicitations for contracts for goods and services to pay their small business subcontractors and small diverse business subcontractors within 10 days of completed, acceptable deliverables and after receipt of payment from the Commonwealth.
(6) Promoting financing and capital access options. DGS and DOT, in partnership with DCED, shall facilitate partnerships with external partners, including CDFIs, to promote financial tools, training and resources that serve small businesses and small diverse businesses. Additionally, DGS and DOT shall solicit feedback from the small business and small diverse business communities to inform PACIP on matters that may assist in the improvement of existing and potential future Commonwealth-based loan programs and explore pilot programs that address capital access issues.
(7) Facilitating beneficial partnerships between prime contractors and subcontractors. DGS and DOT shall facilitate more efficient matching and partnerships between prime contractors and available subcontractors, and vice-versa, by industry, capability and region.
(8) Creating a mentor-protégée program. DGS and DOT shall lead and coordinate efforts to increase small business and small diverse business participation in mentor-protégée programs across this Commonwealth, working to streamline and collaborate on existing partnership initiatives.
(9) Delivering a comprehensive and consistent user experience for businesses in this Commonwealth. DGS and DOT shall partner with CODE PA to promote a whole government approach to support all small businesses and small diverse businesses through an integrated digital experience. This approach shall support small businesses and small diverse businesses accessing available Commonwealth resources to assist them with navigating the procurement process.
Cross References This section cited in 4 Pa. Code § 1.924 (relating to interagency workgroup); 4 Pa. Code § 58.402 (relating to definitions); and 4 Pa. Code § 58.403 (relating to self-certification of eligible small businesses).
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