This Administrative Bulletin builds on ANF Administrative Bulletin #14, which gives guidance on implementation of equal opportunity, non-discrimination, and affirmative action program participation goals for public construction contracts and contracts for design services, by establishing a reporting requirement and providing instructions to state agencies regarding the collection and reporting of state construction contract activity data.
On February 17, 2011, the Governor signed Executive Order 527, which superseded Executive Order 519, "Establishing the Office of Access and Opportunity within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance." The Executive Order defines the scope of responsibilities and authority of the Office of Access and Opportunity (OAO), among which the OAO is to:
- ensure non-discrimination, diversity and equal opportunity in all aspects of state employment, programs, services, activities, and decision-making, including but not limited to state contracting, including contracts for construction, design, and goods and services provided to state agencies;
- review and recommend improvements to state agency programs, activities, and services to ensure that they foster access and equal opportunity; and
- review and recommend improvements to state agency programs, activities, and services to foster economic opportunity for all persons.
Pursuant to state policy, the Commonwealth establishes participation goals for minority business enterprises and women business enterprises as well as participation goals for women and minority to be employed as labor on state construction projects. In order to further and better ground the objectives of state policy in these areas, it is necessary to create a more transparent system of reporting on the outcomes attained. To this end, this Administrative Bulletin defines state agency expectations relative to collecting and reporting on certain public construction contracting activity data as defined herein.
