New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Chapter 22 - FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES › Subchapter 9 - AWARDING CONTRACTS FOR STATE ASSISTED PROJECTS TO SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS › Section 7:22-9.2 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
The following words and terms, as used in this subchapter, will have the following meanings unless the content clearly indicates otherwise.
"Building" means the acquisition, erection, alteration, remodeling, improvement or extension of an environmental infrastructure facility.
"Construction" includes, but is not limited to:
1. The preliminary planning to determine the economic and engineering feasibility of environmental infrastructure facilities, the engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal, and economic investigations and studies, surveys, design, plans, working drawings, specifications, procedures, and other action necessary for the construction of environmental infrastructure facilities;
2. The building of, or purchase of land for, environmental infrastructure facilities; and
3. The inspection and supervision of the building of environmental infrastructure facilities.
"Contract" means any written agreement with a professional service or construction contractor related to the construction of an environmental infrastructure project.
"Contracting agency" means:
1. The governing body of a local government unit or any department, branch, board, commission, committee, authority, agency or officer of such local government unit possessing the authority to award and make contracts; or
2. The owner(s) or authorized representative(s) of a private entity.
"Contractor" means any party entering into a contract to provide or offering to provide building, materials and equipment, or services to a project sponsor for the construction of environmental infrastructure facilities. This includes, but is not limited to, planning and design, as well as building related services such as engineering, inspection and accounting.
"Contractor's plan" means the SED utilization plan submitted by the contractor to the project sponsor and to the Department establishing subcontracting opportunities that will fulfill the requirements of this subchapter.
"Department" means the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and its successors and assigns.
"Environmental infrastructure facilities" means wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater management facilities or water supply facilities.
"Financial agreement" means the legal instrument, including a grant agreement or loan agreement, executed between either the State of New Jersey or the Trust and the project sponsor for the construction of environmental infrastructure facilities.
"Local government unit" means a county, municipality, municipal or county sewerage or utility authority, municipal sewerage district, joint meeting, improvement authority or other political subdivision of the State authorized to construct, operate and maintain wastewater treatment or stormwater management facilities, or a State authority, district water supply commission, county, municipality, municipal or county utilities authority, municipal water district, joint meeting or any other political subdivision of the State authorized pursuant to law to operate or maintain a public water supply system or to construct, rehabilitate, operate or maintain water supply facilities or otherwise provide water for human consumption.
"New Jersey environmental infrastructure financing program" means the program for providing financing to project sponsors pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:22-3, 4 and 6, and 7:22A-6 and 7.
"Office" means the Office of Equal Opportunity and Public Contract Assistance or other program of the Department of Environmental Protection with the responsibility for administration of this subchapter.
"Private entity" means the owner(s) of a nongovernmental community water system or a nonprofit noncommunity water system.
"Project" means the defined services for the construction of specified operable environmental infrastructure facilities as approved by the Department or the Trust in the project sponsor's financial agreement.
"Project compliance officer" means an officer or employee of the project sponsor who is designated by the project sponsor to monitor and enforce compliance with the affirmative action and SED requirements of the applicable program rules and this subchapter.
"Project plan" means the proposal submitted at the time of application by the project sponsor to the Department establishing the SED utilization plan and its requirements.
"Project sponsor" means any local government unit or private entity that seeks a loan or grant pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:22-3, 4 and 6 and 7:22A-6 and 7.
"SED utilization plan" means a written document outlining the entire project work, the estimated length of time it will take to complete the project, each significant segment of the project on which SEDs will or may participate, and a description of how SEDs will be contacted.
"Socially and economically disadvantaged small business concern" or "SED" means any small business concern:
1. Which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; or, in the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; or, in the case of a joint venture, at least 51 percent of the beneficial ownership interests are legitimately held by a SED; and
2. Whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; and
3. Which is a full participation subcontractor in that the SED is responsible for the execution of a distinct element of work and carries out the work responsibility by actually performing, managing and supervising the task involved. Any deviation from this definition will automatically classify the SED as a broker, middleman or passive conduit. These three functions are contrary to the spirit of the Trust Act and will not qualify a SED enterprise for State of New Jersey certification; and
4. Which has been certified pursuant to the New Jersey Uniform Certification Act (52:27H-1 et seq.) or pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR Part 23 by the New Jersey Commerce and Economic Growth Commission, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New Jersey Transit or other agencies deemed appropriate by the Office, as an eligible minority business or female business.
i. "Socially disadvantaged individuals" means those individuals who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities.
ii. "Economically disadvantaged individuals" means those socially disadvantaged individuals whose ability to compete in the free enterprise system has been impaired due to diminished capital and credit opportunities as compared to others in the same business area who are not socially disadvantaged.
iii. "Socially and economically disadvantaged individuals" shall include women, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and members of other groups, or other individuals, found to be socially and economically disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, as amended ( 15 USC 637(a) ). Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and Asian Americans shall be defined as follows:
(1) "Black American" means a person having origins in any of the black racial groups in Africa;
(2) "Hispanic American" means a person of Spanish or Portuguese culture, with origins in Mexico, South or Central America, or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race;
(3) "Asian American" means a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands;
(4) "Native American" means a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America.
"Small business concern" means a business which is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation. A business is independently owned and operated if the management which controls the business is responsible for both its daily and long term operations.
"Subcontract" means an agreement to perform a portion of a contract.
"Subcontractor" means a third party that is engaged by the contractor to perform part of the work under a subcontract.
"10 percent SED utilization," "10 percent goal" and "10 percent" means SED business concern participation, which includes seven percent for minority-owned SED business concerns and three percent for women-owned SED business concerns.
"Trust" means the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank established pursuant to the Trust Act.
"Trust Act" means the New Jersey Infrastructure Trust Act, N.J.S.A. 58:11B-1et seq.