PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
WOMEN'S BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Change in the formula used to calculate the fees paid by political subdivisions of the state to the Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE). This rule will not apply to nongovernmental parties.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 39.19.220.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The current rule does not equitably distribute the costs among the subdivisions either by category or size. Further, political subdivisions that increase opportunities and contracts with businesses certified by OMWBE are charged more than those who do not. The new formula will be designed to ensure an equitable distribution of the costs based on the relative benefit accruing to each political subdivision as anticipated by the statute.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Negotiated rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by sending written comments and questions to Cathy V. Canorro, Rules Coordinator, Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises, P.O. Box 41160, Olympia, WA 98504-1160, phone 1-866-208-1064 (statewide toll free), e-mail ccanorro@omwbe.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-7079.
Public information sessions schedule: Seattle, U.S. Small Business Administration, 1200 Sixth Avenue, 17th Floor, Executive Conference Room, on February 11, 2004, at 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.; at Olympia, OMWBE, 406 South Water Street, Main Conference Room, on February 13, 2004, at 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.; at Olympia, OMWBE, 406 South Water Street, Main Conference Room, on February 17, 2004, at 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.; at Vancouver, Washington State Department of Transportation, Southwest Region, Room 124, 11018 N.E. 51st Circle, on February 23, 2004 at 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; at Tacoma, Tacoma Housing Authority, 902 South "L" Street, on February 24, 2004, at 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.; and at Spokane, Business Information Center, U.S. Small Business Administration, 801 West Riverside, on March 2, 2004, at 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
January 5, 2004
Carolyn Crowson
Director