620.503. Small business assistance offices established in institutions of higher education to contract with department, purposes, procedure.

Small business assistance offices established in institutions ofhigher education to contract with department, purposes, procedure.

620.503. 1. The department of economic development mayenter into contracts with any institutions of higher educationwithin the state for the purpose of providing ready access to allstate forms, regulations, requirements and other informationnecessary to conduct business in the state. Each such officeshall be known as a "Business Assistance Office" and shallcoordinate services with a regional business assistance officeestablished pursuant to section 620.500.

2. Each business assistance office may provide research,development or training programs for new or alternative smallbusinesses, industries, or high technology businesses within thestate. Each business assistance office may also provide needsassessment relating to small businesses, industries or hightechnology businesses. Each office may also provide feasibilitystudies relating to potential markets and employmentopportunities.

3. Each party entering into a contract with the departmentof economic development to provide or administer a businessassistance office shall, prior to the issuance of such acontract, submit to the department of economic development adetailed description of quantifiable performance appraisalmeasures and goals pertaining to the proposed efforts and resultsin marketing services provided by the business assistance office.The department of economic development shall review suchmaterial. When a contract to establish a business assistanceoffice is renewed, renegotiated, or otherwise reissued, acontractor's actual efforts and results pertaining to theperformance appraisal measures and goals shall be a criterion inthe rewarding or renewal of a contract to establish or administera business assistance office.

(L. 1986 S.B. 426 § 3, A.L. 1993 H.B. 566)