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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	May 20, 2015 12:26 PM
From:	Representative Mark Mustio
To:	All House members
Subject:	Pennsylvania Procurement Code - Women's Business Enterprise Definition - Revenue Cap

In the near future, I will introduce legislation that would amend the Pennsylvania Procurement Code to eliminate the revenue cap currently set at $20 million. Currently, the eligibility requirements for businesses interested in participating in the Small Business Procurement Initiative must first register to do business with the Commonwealth and self-certify as a “small business.” To self-certify, a business must meet a list of requirements pursuant to Governor Corbett’s Executive Order 2011-09. I am introducing this language after being contacted by a small business owner in my district who attempted to certify in the Commonwealth as a Women’s Business Enterprise. Her company holds the federal certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise, but the state and federal definitions are not the same. My constituent’s company has actually lost business with customers who have state contracts, since she can no longer be a sub-contractor through PaUCP. We should be doing whatever we can to support our small businesses and allow them to compete against large stores such as Staples etc. Pennsylvania should use the same criteria for its Women’s Business Enterprise, deleting the revenue cap and using number of employees as a size determinant. It is important to give our small business men and women the same competitive edge in state and commercial business opportunities and change the criteria to match the Small Business Administration’s standards by eliminating the revenue cap. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. Thank you.

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