Requires State agencies to make good faith effort towards certain goals to use certified minority and women-owned businesses as prime contractors and subcontractors.

This bill requires New Jersey state agencies to make a good faith effort to use certified minority and women-owned businesses as direct contractors and subcontractors. It mandates agencies to set annual goals for increasing their use of these businesses across construction, professional services, and goods/services sectors, based on findings from a 2024 disparity study showing they received only 4% of construction contracts and 15% of professional services contracts. Agencies must develop goals consistent with a new statewide disparity study, to be completed by 2029, which will analyze participation gaps and inform future procurement policies. The law directly affects state agencies and certified minority/women-owned businesses by requiring proactive efforts to address historical underutilization in state contracting.