Gov. Perdue Signs Order Giving N.C. Businesses Contracting Advantage
February 19, 2010
State of North Carolina
Office of the Governor
20301 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-0301
February 17, 2010
Contact: Chrissy Pearson
Office: (919) 733-5612
Gov. Perdue Signs Order Giving N.C. Businesses Contracting Advantage
Gov. Also Creates State’s First Small Business Commissioner
RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today signed Executive Order No. 50 that will give North Carolina-based businesses a price-matching opportunity when bidding on state contracts for the purchase of goods. The Governor’s order will help North Carolina businesses protect and grow jobs.
Under the Governor’s order, if a North Carolina-based business is not the low bidder on a state contract, but submits a bid within a specified range of the low bid from an out-of-state company, the North Carolina business will receive the opportunity to match the out-of-state bidder’s price and secure the contract. Gov. Perdue believes leveraging the buying power of the State of North Carolina can provide an immediate economic benefit to our citizens and companies during these difficult times.
“This order can help save and grow jobs right here in North Carolina,” said Gov. Perdue. “At a time when North Carolina companies are looking hard for customers, this change will give them a better chance to compete for business, stay in business, and grow their business.”
Executive Order No. 50 directs the Secretary of Administration to develop price-matching procedures for North Carolina resident bidders on state contracts for the purchase of goods. Such a preference would provide a qualified North Carolina company whose bid price is within 5% or $10,000 of the lowest bid, whichever is less, an opportunity to match the price of an out-of-state low bidder and be awarded contracts with the State of North Carolina.
In addition to signing the executive order, Gov. Perdue also today named Scott Daugherty to serve as North Carolina’s first Small Business Commissioner.
This position will establish an organizational structure and a collaborative partnership model within which the leading state-funded small business assistance resources will clarify their roles and responsibilities, identify opportunities to collaborate and most effectively serve the small business community. It is being created through a cooperative agreement between the Department of Commerce, the University of North Carolina system, North Carolina State University, and the North Carolina Community College System. The Governor also named Dr. George Millsaps to serve as Assistant Commissioner for Small Business.
The appointment of a single statewide commissioner addresses a long-standing criticism that state small business services are fragmented among different agencies, creating challenges for small businesses to access them. One of the new Commissioner’s first priorities will be to evaluate the small business services provided through state government, identify efficiencies, and then lead an aggressive outreach campaign to let North Carolina small businesses know where to go when they need help.
The units that will become aligned under the commissioner’s leadership include the Business ServiCenter and the small business ombudsman at the Department of Commerce, the statewide Small Business Center Network of the N.C. Community College System, and the University of North Carolina’s statewide Small Business and Technology Development Center.
Scott Daugherty currently serves as executive director of the Small Business and Technology Development Center – a university-based small business assistance network. George Millsaps serves as director of the Community College System’s Small Business Center Network. Their current responsibilities will be incorporated into their new roles. The new Commissioner will report to North Carolina’s Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco.
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