* 311-a. Minority and women-owned business enterprise statewide advocate. 1. There is hereby established within the department of economic development an office of the minority and women-owned business enterprise statewide advocate. The statewide advocate shall be appointed by the commissioner with the advice of the small business advisory board as established in section one hundred thirty-three of the economic development law and shall serve in the unclassified service of the director. The statewide advocate shall be located in the Albany empire state development office.
2. The advocate shall act as a liaison for minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) to assist them in obtaining technical, managerial, financial and other business assistance for certified businesses and applicants. The advocate shall investigate complaints brought by or on behalf of MWBEs concerning certification delays and instances of violations of law by state agencies. The statewide advocate shall assist certified businesses and applicants in the certification process. Other functions of the statewide advocate shall be directed by the commissioner. The advocate may request and the director may appoint staff and employees of the division of minority and women business development to support the administration of the office of the statewide advocate.
3. The statewide advocate shall establish a toll-free number at the department of economic development to be used to answer questions concerning the MWBE certification process.
4. The statewide advocate shall report to the director and commissioner by November fifteenth on an annual basis on all activities related to fulfilling the obligations of the office of the statewide advocate. The commissioner shall include the unedited text of the statewide advocate's report within the reports submitted by the department of economic development to the governor and the legislature.
* NB Expires December 31, 2018
Last modified: February 3, 2019