A. The secretary is hereby authorized and directed, for each fiscal year, to designate and set aside for awarding to socially or economically disadvantaged and/or women owned businesses, as defined in R.S. 39:1732(4), and (5), an amount not to exceed ten percent of the funds appropriated for highway construction and for procurement of goods and services for highway construction. This Subsection shall be inapplicable if no socially or economically disadvantaged and/or women owned business exists in the particular category to which the set aside applies.
B. The secretary shall, for each fiscal year, designate and set aside for awarding to socially or economically disadvantaged and/or women owned businesses, an amount not to exceed ten percent of the funds appropriated for highway construction and for procurement of goods and services for highway construction. This Subsection shall be inapplicable if no socially or economically disadvantaged and/or women owned business exists in the particular category to which the set aside applies.
C. In order to implement the provisions of this Section, the secretary shall adopt rules, standards, and procedures for certifying that businesses owned and operated by socially or economically disadvantaged persons or women are eligible to participate under the requirements of this Section. The procedure for determination of eligibility may include self-certification by a business, provided that the secretary retains the ability to verify a self-certification. Other rules as may be necessary to carry out the duties set forth in this Section may also be adopted.
D. Provided, however, the total amount for the set-aside program shall not exceed ten percent of the state and federal funds allocated for highway construction.