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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Bill Establishes Small Business Set-Aside Mandates for State Contracts
Last action · January 14, 2026: To Government OrganizationSponsor: Mike Oliverio
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What This Bill Proposed
West Virginia creates the Public/Private Small Business Enhancement Program, requiring state agencies to set aside at least 25 percent of total contract value for eligible small businesses beginning July 1, 2026. The measure mandates exclusive set-asides for contracts under $150,000 and between $150,000 and $700,000 under specific bidding conditions, while establishing certification rules, audit powers, and civil penalties for false statements.
Changes state procurement rules by reserving specific dollar thresholds of agency contracts exclusively for small businesses meeting employee and revenue caps, while requiring contractors to perform at least 30 percent of the work with their own workforce.
- The West Virginia Purchasing Division operates under the Department of Administration and manages state agency procurement and contracting. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Small businesses
Eligible small businesses gain mandatory set-aside allocations for state contracts but must meet workforce performance thresholds and certification requirements.
State agencies
Awarding state agencies must set aside at least 25 percent of contract values, track bidding data, and submit annual implementation status reports.
Purchasing Division
The division is tasked with establishing the certification process, maintaining a directory, auditing businesses, and reporting annually to the Legislature.
State Auditor
The State Auditor shares audit authority and conducts hearings to impose civil penalties for false statements or statutory violations.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies a company as a small business under this program?
Are all state contracts subject to these set-aside requirements?
What happens if a contractor submits a false statement on a certification application?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Jan 14, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Government Organization
- Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced in Senate
- Jan 14, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Government Organization then Finance
- Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroducedFiled for introduction
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Mandatory Small Business Procurement Goals
Shifts state purchasing policy by imposing mandatory percentage set-asides and strict workforce performance rules for state contracts.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy35Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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