§ 21-196. Sheltered market program.

The Office of Minority Business Development may establish a Sheltered Market Program for minority business enterprises and emerging small businesses. Any such Sheltered Market Program shall be designed to assist in the growth and development of minority business enterprises and emerging small businesses by providing them with the opportunity to compete against similar firms for certain contracts. The Sheltered Market Program shall, at a minimum, require the following:

(1)

That not more than 50 percent of all contracts procured by competitive sealed bidding and competitive negotiation as required by this chapter with a value under $200,000.00 be procured only from minority business enterprises and emerging small businesses qualifying as participants in the sheltered market program;

(2)

That all contracts procured under small purchase or other provisions of this chapter that exempt such contracts from competitive sealed bidding and competitive negotiation requirements first be solicited solely from participants in the Sheltered Market Program offered by the City where there are qualified, willing and able participants;

(3)

Each participant in the Sheltered Market Program to submit to a business needs assessment and to obtain technical assistance offered by a technical assistance program in those areas where such assistance is shown to be necessary; and

(4)

Any participant in the Sheltered Market Program serving as a prime contractor for a City contract to offer all subcontracting opportunities to other participants in the sheltered market program prior to hiring other businesses as subcontractors.

(Code 1993, § 22.1-128; Code 2004, § 74-233; Ord. No. 2006-134-105, § 1, 5-8-2006)

(Code 1993, § 22.1-128; Code 2004, § 74-233; Ord. No. 2006-134-105, § 1, 5-8-2006)