The Office of Economic Development shall:
(a) Establish procedures and guidelines for the implementation of the programs established pursuant to this article.
(b) Determine which local business enterprise or small business enterprise shall be eligible for certification under this article and establish criteria to identify those enterprises which shall be given priority consideration for government contracts.
(c) Review the procurement plans of each agency of the City and determine, if it deems appropriate, which contracts, or parts thereof, shall be reserved for the programs established under Section 136.04. Where an agency has failed to meet the goals set forth in Section 136.03, the Office of Economic Development shall reserve portions of the agency's contracts to be performed in accordance with the programs established under Section 136.04, so that such agency's failings shall be timely remedied.
(d) Consider agency requests for adjustment of goals in particular instances, provided, that the Office of Economic Development report to the Mayor and Council on a semi-annual basis recommendations for changes of the goals under Section 136.03, on an agency basis if appropriate, and accompanied by necessary supporting data.
(e) Determine that portion of the dollar amount of a joint venture which may be attributed toward an agency's percentage goal.
(f) Recommend that an agency waive bonding in excess of the standard waiver provided to require that contracts for construction, alteration or repair of any public building or public work of the City be accompanied by a performance bond protecting the City and by an additional bond for the protection of persons furnishing material and labor, and for other purposes, where such a waiver is appropriate and necessary to achieve the purposes of this article.
(g) Recommend that an agency make advance payments to a certified contractor or to subdivide a contract into smaller parts where the Office of Economic Development has determined that such payments or such subdivisions are necessary to achieve the purposes of the article. Subdivision may be recommended in order to fall within bond exemption provided.
(h) Review bids in the small business enterprise administrative arrangements established under Section 136.04 and may authorize agencies to refuse to let a contract where the Office of Economic Development determines that bids for particular contracts are excessive.
(i) Maintain contracts with the business community (financial institutions and bonding companies) and solicit cooperation for development for the City.
(j) Review contracting problems and make further recommendations that increase small and local contractor participation with the City government. Recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, improved schedules that ensure prompt payment to contractors, special geographic radii requirements on certain contracts, innovative contract advertising procedures, the encouragement of joint ventures and advising the Mayor on methods to be utilized to ensure participation.
(k) Review and determine the continued eligibility of contractors certified by the Office of Economic Development and the City Human Relations Commission.
(l) Insert in bid solicitations for procurement of property or services, a provision limiting advance or progress payments to local and small business enterprises, to provide that payments may not exceed the unpaid contract price.
(Ord. 18-1993 Sec. 1. Passed 8-3-93.)