§9604. Duties of Department of General Services.

The Department of General Services, with the assistance of the department, shall have the following duties:

(1) If feasible, provide appropriate staff, who shall be responsible to the Department of General Services and who shall serve within designated Commonwealth agencies to assist veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in this Commonwealth in learning how to do business with Commonwealth agencies.

(2) Give special publicity to procurement procedures and issue special publications designed to assist veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in learning how to do business with Commonwealth agencies.

(3) Compile, maintain and make available source lists of veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses for the purpose of encouraging procurement from veteran-owned small businesses.

(4) Include veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses on solicitation mailing lists.

(5) Assure that veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses are solicited on procurements for which the businesses may be suited.

(6) Develop special training programs to assist veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in learning how to do business with Commonwealth agencies.

(7) Assure that participation by veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses is, if appropriate, factored into the evaluation of proposals for supplies, services or construction when a purchasing agency uses the competitive sealed proposals method under 62 Pa.C.S. § 513 (relating to competitive sealed proposals).

(8) Verify the current certification of businesses claiming to be certified as veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.