The County Purchasing Agent shall develop and implement a program designed to encourage and assist small businesses in the County to contract with the County for goods and services.

In the procurement of commodities for which manufacturers or publishers of such commodities utilize authorized resellers or distributors, including, but not limited to, information technology software and hardware products: The County shall procure such commodities solely from County-based small businesses that are authorized resellers or distributors if there are County-based small businesses that are authorized resellers or distributors of such commodities and such businesses are authorized as resellers or distributors by the publisher or manufacturer of such commodities. The County is authorized to procure such commodities directly from the manufacturer or publisher only if the requirements of Subsection (a), above, are not met.