15-4-306. Duties.

15-4-306. Duties. The Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission shall: (1) Provide technical, managerial, and counseling services and assistance to minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises; (2) With the participation of other state departments and state agencies as appropriate: (A) Develop comprehensive plans and specific program goals for a minority business enterprise and women-owned business enterprise program; (B) Establish regular performance monitoring and reporting systems to assure that goals are being achieved; and (C) Evaluate the impact of federal and state support in achieving the objectives established by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission; (3) Implement state policy in support of minority business enterprise and development and women-owned business enterprise and development and coordinate the plans, programs, and operations of state government that affect or may contribute to the establishment, preservation, and strengthening of minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises; (4) Coordinate, make application for, and administer federal funding grants from the United States Minority Business Development Agency, the United States Small Business Administration, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal agencies when applicable; (5) Promote the mobilization of activities and resources of state agencies and local governments, business and trade associations, universities, foundations, professional organizations, and volunteer and other groups toward the growth of minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises, and facilitate the coordination of the efforts of these groups with those of other state departments and state agencies; (6) Establish a center for the development, collection, and dissemination of information that will be helpful to persons and organizations throughout the state in undertaking or promoting the establishment and successful operation of minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises; (7) Conduct coordinated reviews of all proposed state training and technical assistance activities in direct support of the minority business enterprise and women-owned business enterprise program to ensure consistency with program goals and to preclude duplication of effort of other state agencies with overlapping jurisdictions; (8) Recommend appropriate legislative or executive actions to enhance minority business enterprise and women-owned business enterprise opportunities in this state; (9) Assist minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises in obtaining governmental or commercial financing for business expansion, establishment of new businesses, or industrial development projects; (10) Provide services to promote the organization of local development corporations for rural development and assist minority business enterprise and women-owned business enterprise persons in agrarian endeavors; (11) Assist minority business enterprises and women-owned business enterprises to promote reciprocal foreign trade and investment; (12) Assist minority and women-owned business persons in business contract procurement from governmental and private commercial sources; and (13) Provide a program effort to ensure participation of veterans and women in Arkansas minority business enterprise activities and women-owned business enterprise activities.