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<section article="gsf" article_name="State Finance and Procurement" number="14-602" title_number="14" title_name="Preferences" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise Participation">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A unit shall structure procurement procedures, consistent with the purposes of this subtitle, to try to achieve or exceed an overall percentage goal of the unit’s total dollar value of procurement contracts to be made directly or indirectly with veteran–owned small business enterprises.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs shall adopt regulations that establish the overall percentage goal.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, solicitation documents shall state the expected percentage of veteran–owned small business enterprise participation based, in part, on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the potential contracting opportunities available in the procurement contract, including both prime contracting and subcontracting opportunities, as determined through analysis of the scope of the work presented in the solicitation documents; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the availability of veteran–owned small business enterprises to respond competitively to the potential contracting opportunities.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For a competitive proof of concept procurement conducted under § 13–116 of this article, the expected percentage of veteran–owned small business enterprise participation, if any, shall be established at a phase specified in the solicitation documents.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>This paragraph applies to a bidder or offeror after submission of a bid or proposal and before the execution of a contract with an expected degree of veteran–owned small business enterprise participation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>If a unit’s procurement officer determines that a deficiency exists in the veteran–owned small business enterprise participation schedule, the procurement officer shall notify the bidder or offeror of the deficiency and require the bidder or offeror to submit an amended veteran–owned small business enterprise participation schedule within a reasonable time period.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>A determination under subsubparagraph 1 of this subparagraph shall be made in consultation with the unit’s veteran–owned small business enterprise liaison.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>As directed by the notification made under subsubparagraph 1 of this subparagraph, the bidder or offeror shall submit an amended veteran–owned small business enterprise participation schedule correcting the deficiency identified.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a unit may consider modifying the veteran–owned small business participation goal on a procurement contract:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>at any time prior to contract execution; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>after contract execution, when determined to be in the best interest of the State.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Before a unit may consider modifying a veteran–owned small business participation goal under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the unit shall:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>make a determination that there has been a change in the factors established under subsection (b) of this section;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>use the factors established under subsection (b) of this section to determine the percentage modification to the veteran–owned small business participation goal; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>obtain the agreement of the contractor, including any reasonable pricing considerations.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The veteran–owned small business enterprise participation schedule, including any amendment, shall be attached to and made a part of the executed contract.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A veteran–owned small business enterprise participation schedule may be amended to modify the veteran–owned small business enterprise participation after the date of contract execution only if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>it is in the best interest of the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>it is approved by the head of the unit; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the contract is amended.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The provisions of this subtitle do not apply to a unit’s procurement procedures to the extent that any unit determines that those provisions are in conflict with an applicable federal program.</text>
  </level>
</section>
