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Defining Social And Economic Disadvantage: Are Government Preferential Business Certification Programs Narrowly Tailored?, George R. La Noue

George R. La Noue

Defining Social and Economic Disadvantage: Are Government Business Certification Programs Narrowly Tailored? George R. La Noue, Professor of Political Science and Professor of Public Policy UMBC glanoue@umbc.edu Synopsis The passage of the Public Works Employment Act (PWEA) of 1976 which set aside 10 percent of all procurement dollars awarded under the Act for “minority owned businesses” began a precedent of the use of contracting preferences for these firms in various federal programs. Later, many of these procurement programs were expanded to include women-owned businesses as beneficiaries. Soon such programs were initiated by state and local governments across the country. Race …