"Sec. 1   RCW 39.19.041 and 1995 c 269 s 1302 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) By July 1, 2008, the director ((may)) shall establish ((ad hoc advisory committees, as necessary,)) an advisory committee on minority and women's business enterprises to assist in the development of policies to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
     (2) The advisory committee must include representatives from:
     (a) The office's customers, including business owners and large and small state agencies;
     (b) Both eastern and western Washington;
     (c) Business organizations representing businesses certified under this chapter; and
     (d) Local jurisdictions.
     (3) The office shall, in consultation with the advisory committee established in this section, develop a plan to improve the office's effectiveness. The plan must include timelines and, at a minimum, mechanisms to:
     (a) Streamline the statewide certification process including the submission and approval of applications;
     (b) Improve outreach capability;
     (c) Facilitate purchases by state agencies and educational institutions from certified firms;
     (d) Encourage selection of certified firms as prime contractors and subcontractors in contracts awarded by state agencies and educational institutions; and
     (e) Establish a database that allows the office to communicate with and obtain data from other state agencies and educational institutions and develop reports on agency and educational institution contracts with certified firms.
     (4) The office shall report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2008, on the plan required by this section. The report must include fiscal information and identify funding sources that could be used to implement the plan for establishing the database under subsection (3)(e) of this section.
     (5) Members of the advisory committee shall be reimbursed for travel expenses, as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060."