§ 28-119. Competitive business development demonstration project.

(a) Eligibility.

If an industry category routinely has too few sources of bidders to provide meaningful or sufficient competition for City contracts, the Chief, with the concurrence of the impacted contracting agency, may reserve certain contracts within that industry category for placement into a competitive business development demonstration project to encourage the development of new capacity within the industry to competitively bid on the future supply of specialized goods or services to the City.

(b) Competitive Business Development Process.

(1) Contracts reserved for Competitive Business Development Demonstration Projects are subject to a Request for Proposals process open only to joint ventures between an established firm, or experts in the relevant industry, and a certified SLBE firm.

(2) The scope of work for the selected joint venture must include teaching a hands-on curriculum to SLBE firms that have expressed an interest in diversifying into the relevant industry, in addition to performing the customary functions of the contract.

(3) The curriculum required by paragraph (2) of this subsection must teach skills required to qualify for future City contracts and to successfully compete in the industry, including both:

(i) technical skills taught through hands-on demonstrations of how to perform necessary tasks in the field; and

(ii) administrative skills such as cost estimating, bidding, staffing, or project management.

(c) Selection of candidate firms.

The Chief must select certified SLBE candidate firms for participation in competitive business development demonstration projects on the basis of an assessment of their current capabilities and their likely success in diversifying into the new relevant industry once given technical assistance, training, and an opportunity to develop a performance track record in the industry.