Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 39.19.131(7).

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: State agencies and educational institutions have a statutory responsibility to maximize opportunities for minority and women's business enterprises in state contracting and procurement. The Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises sets goals to provide benchmarks for measuring the state's performance in compliance with the statute. Later this fiscal year, the state will initiate a new rule making to set goals based on the results of the state's disparity study.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: Comments from the affected business community and state organizations will be solicited directly.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Juan Huey-Ray, Rules Coordinator, phone (360) 704-1188, FAX (360) 586-7079, Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises, P.O. Box 41160, Olympia, WA 98504-1160. All comments must be received by August 25, 1998, at 12:00 p.m.

May 19, 1998

James A. Medina

Director