ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN'S
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 4723
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
The Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs
Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4723.
This bill modifies the title and role of the Chief Diversity
Officer and establishes the New Jersey Office of Supplier Diversity
and Business Opportunities.
Under current law, the Chief Diversity Officer monitors the
State’s public contracting process for the purpose of compiling
information on the awarding of contracts to minority-owned and
women-owned business enterprises, the total value of all contracts,
and the percentage of the value of those contracts awarded to
minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises.
This bill changes the title of Chief Diversity Officer to Chief
Equity Officer and requires the Chief Equity Officer to monitor and
publicly report the State’s public contracting process for the
purpose of compiling information on the awarding of contracts to
small and diverse business enterprises, and to monitor the total
value of all contracts and the percentage of the value of those
contracts awarded to all small and diverse business enterprises.
Each State agency will be required to submit the necessary data and
information to the Chief Equity Officer. The Chief Equity Officer
will be required to report directly to the State Treasurer.
This bill also establishes the New Jersey Office of Supplier
Diversity and Business Opportunities in the Department of the
Treasury. The office will be under the immediate supervision of the
Chief Equity Officer, who can, within the limits of funds
appropriated by the Legislature, hire and employ staff. The office
must:
(1) support the Chief Equity Officer in achieving their mission;
(2) review existing State procurement policies and practices;
(3) expand outreach to, and develop capacity-building
opportunities for, small and diverse business enterprises;
(4) process and manage business certifications for minority
businesses, female businesses, economically disadvantaged
businesses, socially disadvantaged businesses, and disabled
veterans’ businesses; 2
(5) monitor the awarding of contracts to small and diverse
business enterprises, and measure progress towards lawfully
established and implemented contracting and subcontracting
programs;
(6) provide ongoing and relevant training to State agencies to
assist with the State’s public procurement process; and
(7) evaluate the feasibility of establishing a cloud-based data
management system for all State agencies to utilize for awarding
and providing payments for State contracts.
Each State agency will be required to develop, and submit to the
office within not less than 180 calendar days prior to the end of
each State fiscal year, a plan for the following fiscal year to comply
with the certification programs for small and diverse business
enterprises. The office will analyze these plans and provide
feedback and guidance to the State agencies as may be necessary.