NJ S2769

Creates a sheltered market program reserving certain New Jersey State contracts exclusively for certified qualified business enterprises, including minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, disabled veterans', LGBTQ+-owned, small businesses, and economically or socially disadvantaged businesses.

Requires the Chief Diversity Officer to establish criteria for designating contracts based on historical underutilization data from the State's certification registry or disparity studies, with at least two qualified businesses needed in the registry to establish a sheltered market for a contract category.

Limits sheltered market contracts to a maximum term of three years including renewals, and mandates State agencies publish designated contracts on their websites and conduct outreach and pre-bid workshops for potential bidders.

Requires prime contractors awarded sheltered market contracts to make good faith efforts to offer subcontracting opportunities to qualified business enterprises, with failure to demonstrate such efforts potentially resulting in rejection of future bids.

Mandates annual reporting by State agencies to the Chief Diversity Officer on program performance, including the number and dollar value of contracts awarded, percentage of contracts going to qualified businesses, and recommendations for program continuation or modification.