(A) From the purchases that the department of administrative services is required by law to make through competitive selection, the director of administrative services shall select a number of such purchases, the aggregate value of which equals approximately fifteen per cent of the estimated total value of all such purchases to be made in the current fiscal year. The director shall set aside the purchases selected for competition only by minority business enterprises, as defined in division (E)(1) of section 122.71 of the Revised Code. The competitive selection procedures for such purchases set aside shall be the same as for all other purchases the department is required to make through competitive selection, except that only minority business enterprises certified by the equal employment opportunity coordinator of the department of administrative services in accordance with the rules adopted under division (B)(1) of section 123.151 of the Revised Code and listed by the director under section 125.08 of the Revised Code shall be qualified to compete.

(B) To the extent that any agency of the state, other than the department of administrative services, the legislative and judicial branches, boards of elections, and the adjutant general, is authorized to make purchases, the agency shall set aside a number of purchases, the aggregate value of which equals approximately fifteen per cent of the aggregate value of such purchases for the current fiscal year for competition by minority business enterprises only. The procedures for such purchases shall be the same as for all other such purchases made by the agency, except that only minority business enterprises certified by the equal employment opportunity coordinator in accordance with rules adopted under division (B)(1) of section 123.151 of the Revised Code shall be qualified to compete.

(C) In the case of purchases set aside under division (A) or (B) of this section, if no bid is submitted by a minority business enterprise, the purchase shall be made according to usual procedures. The contracting agency shall from time to time set aside such additional purchases for which only minority business enterprises may compete, as are necessary to replace those purchases previously set aside for which no minority business enterprises bid and to ensure that, in any fiscal year, the aggregate amount of contracts awarded to minority business enterprises will equal approximately fifteen per cent of the total amount of contracts awarded by the agency.

(D) The provisions of this section shall not preclude any minority business enterprise from competing for any other state purchases that are not specifically set aside for minority business enterprises.

(E) No funds of any state agency shall be expended in any fiscal year for any purchase for which competitive selection is required, until the director of the department of administrative services certifies to the equal employment opportunity coordinator, the clerk of the senate, and the clerk of the house of representatives of the general assembly that approximately fifteen per cent of the aggregate amount of the projected expenditure for such purchases in the fiscal year has been set aside as provided for in this section.

(F) Any person who intentionally misrepresents self as owning, controlling, operating, or participating in a minority business enterprise for the purpose of obtaining contracts, subcontracts, or any other benefits under this section shall be guilty of theft by deception as provided for in section 2913.02 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Effective Date: 03-09-1999 .