Posted: | September 16, 2021 01:58 PM |
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From: | Representative Carrie Lewis DelRosso and Rep. Jake Wheatley, Jr. |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Small Business Opportunities for Everyone in PA |
The ability for businesses to compete fairly is the bedrock of a free market economy. Even though in a capitalistic society not all business will win or succeed, it is important to ensure that businesses compete on the same playing field. Minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses, historically, have encountered discriminatory roadblocks that impede their ability to compete fairly for small business opportunities in Commonwealths Procurement. These roadblocks are often based on societal biases and can include, but are not limited to: reduced access to capital, loans, and lines of credit and marketplace discrimination. In an effort to address this, we will soon be introducing legislation designed to encourage minority, women, and veteran owned small businesses to bid for and compete in state and local government bidding opportunities. It addresses impediments of small, minority, and veteran business owners and would require state agencies and state-affiliated agencies, including state-owned universities, to significantly increase contracting opportunities for disadvantaged businesses. Please consider co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. |
Introduced as HB1887