This bill modifies the title and responsibilities of the Chief Diversity Officer, changing it to the Chief Equity Officer, and establishes the New Jersey Office of Supplier Diversity and Business Opportunities within the Department of the Treasury. The Chief Equity Officer will now monitor and publicly report on the state's public contracting process, focusing on the awarding of contracts to all small and diverse business enterprises, rather than just minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Additionally, the Chief Equity Officer will collect data from state agencies and report directly to the State Treasurer.

The newly created Office of Supplier Diversity and Business Opportunities will operate under the Chief Equity Officer's supervision and is tasked with several responsibilities, including reviewing state procurement policies, expanding outreach to small and diverse businesses, managing business certifications, and providing training to state agencies. Each state agency will be required to submit an annual plan detailing their compliance with certification programs for small and diverse business enterprises, which the office will analyze and provide feedback on.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:32-18.1