N.Y. Exec. Law § 311-a

* § 311-a. Minority and women-owned business enterprise statewide\nadvocate. 1. There is hereby established within the department of\neconomic development an office of the minority and women-owned business\nenterprise statewide advocate. The statewide advocate shall be appointed\nby the commissioner with the advice of the small business advisory board\nas established in section one hundred thirty-three of the economic\ndevelopment law and shall serve in the unclassified service of the\ndirector. The statewide advocate shall be located in the Albany empire\nstate development office.\n 2. The advocate shall act as a liaison for minority and women-owned\nbusiness enterprises (MWBEs) to assist them in obtaining technical,\nmanagerial, financial and other business assistance for certified\nbusinesses and applicants. The advocate shall investigate complaints\nbrought by or on behalf of MWBEs concerning certification delays and\ninstances of violations of law by state agencies. The statewide advocate\nshall assist certified businesses and applicants in the certification\nprocess. Other functions of the statewide advocate shall be directed by\nthe commissioner. The advocate may request and the director may appoint\nstaff and employees of the division of minority and women business\ndevelopment to support the administration of the office of the statewide\nadvocate.\n 3. The statewide advocate shall establish a toll-free number at the\ndepartment of economic development to be used to answer questions\nconcerning the MWBE certification process.\n 4. The statewide advocate shall report to the director and\ncommissioner by November fifteenth on an annual basis on all activities\nrelated to fulfilling the obligations of the office of the statewide\nadvocate. The commissioner shall include the unedited text of the\nstatewide advocate's report within the reports submitted by the\ndepartment of economic development to the governor and the legislature.\n * NB Expires December 31, 2017\n