May 27, 2011
REP. ROJAS PRAISES PASSAGE OF BILL MANDATING SMALL,
LOCAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM
Rep. Jason Rojas on Friday praised the passage of legislation by the House and Senate requiring the Metropolitan District Commission to set aside contracts or portions of contracts for bidding by small contractors and minority business enterprises. The bill is awaiting the governor's signature.
“I am very happy both the House and Senate unanimously approved this bill (HB 6286),” said Rojas, who sponsored the bill. “The legislation requires the MDC to set aside 25 percent of all contracts or portions of contracts for bidding by small contractors and minority business enterprises. The contracts could amount to $500 million of work for locally owned small businesses.”
The MDC is undertaking a $2 billion, 15-year sanitary sewer improvement project, known as the Clean Water Project, to comply with consent orders from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The project will reduce the amount of sewage and nitrogen flowing into the Connecticut River and be funded primarily with money approved by taxpayers through a special sewer service charge on MDC customer water bills.
In 2008 the MDC established a Small Local Business Enterprise program to provide contracting opportunities that allowed the MDC to increase its small local business participation by approximately 10 percent above its normal participation while maintaining competitive pricing.
Unfortunately, the Small Local Business Enterprise program has been limited to non-Clean Water Program contracts and this was the result of Department of Environmental Protection regulations, which restrict the awarding of contracts based on geographical limitations, Rojas said.
“This current legislation will amend the 2008 legislation and allow for greater participation for small and local businesses from MDC member towns, which are the primary funding source for the project,” Rojas said.
Rep. Jason Rojas represents the 9th Assembly District, which includes parts of East Hartford, Glastonbury and Manchester.