NEWS RELEASE
Department of General Services
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DATE: 6/6/1999 | |
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FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE | |
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NUMBER: | |
INTERNET: www.dgs.ca.gov |
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Sacramento—The California Department of General Services (DGS), through the Office of Small Business Certification and Resources (OSBCR), is increasing its efforts to promote state contracting with small businesses as a result of several new laws. Small businesses now have enhanced opportunities to compete for the approximately $4 billion worth of goods and services the state contracts for annually. Some of these new, "business friendly" laws include;
- The new California Prompt Payment Act directing state agencies to pay invoices in a timely fashion (within 45 days), or pay late payment penalties.
- An up-to-date definition of small businesses designed to increase eligibility for the five percent bid preference, thus increasing a company’s competitive advantage.
- Establishment of a Small Business Advocate at each state agency to make it simpler for businesses to find and bid on contracting opportunities and to get paid promptly.
DGS will soon offer Business Community training to help firms better understand the various government contract programs available to them. Additionally, many other DGS innovations are in place including a Web based service known as the California State Contracts Register, which publishes bid information daily on state construction, service and commodity contracts.
Small businesses may also take advantage of the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS) where service fees normally charged to CMAS customers are waived when buyers order from certified small businesses. CMAS contracts and vendors allow government agencies more flexibility in choosing products or services they need as well as reducing service delivery time.
For more information on Office of Small Business Certification and Resources programs please call 916/323-5478, or visit www.dgs.ca.gov/osbcr (offline) on the World Wide Web.