--- title: House Small Business Development Committee, January 29, 2026 collection: meetings id: 2026-01-29/house-small-business-development cite_as: House Small Business Development Committee, January 29, 2026, video https://vimeo.com/1159400775 (machine transcript by Georgia Commons) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-small-business-development md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-small-business-development.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-small-business-development/text source_url: https://vimeo.com/1159400775 date: 2026-01-29 status: machine transcript corpus_version: meetings-2026-10-23-8c15ead0f18d license: Machine transcript and summaries by Georgia Commons from the General Assembly's public video; the video stays on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-natural-resources-and-environment.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/senate-economic-development-and-tourism.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/index.md chamber: House body: House Small Business Development Committee body_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/house-small-business-development.md meeting_kind: committee session: 2025-2026 Regular Session start_time: 2026-01-29T08:00:00-05:00 location: 506 CLOB duration_seconds: 5201.0 video_id: 1159400775 video_title: 1.29.26 Small Business Development agenda_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/house/Small Business%2FSmall Business committee meeting1.29.26.pdf bills_discussed: - HB 704 summaries_model: gpt-6.1-sol transcript_turns: 479 transcript_chars: 84744 parts: - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-small-business-development.md?start=0 - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-small-business-development.md?start=59954 --- # House Small Business Development Committee, January 29, 2026 House Small Business Development Committee; January 29, 2026; 2025-2026 Regular Session. Video, on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/1159400775. Agenda: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/house/Small Business%2FSmall Business committee meeting1.29.26.pdf. > This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays. ## Summary written by Georgia Commons Written by gpt-6.1-sol from the transcript below. It is not part of the record. Quote the transcript or the video, not the summary. The committee approved [HB 704](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb704), which the sponsor described as replacing monthly reports on state architectural and engineering contracts with annual reporting on Open Georgia. Members debated whether less frequent reporting would reduce transparency and whether the bill should explicitly require a searchable dashboard. An amendment requiring reporting twice a year failed, 10 to 14. The bill passed, 15 to 10. The committee also heard business presentations arranged by the Georgia Chamber Foundation. A witness for Goud Management Group discussed state contracts, legal costs, tax credits and support for small-business participation. A witness for Compact Industries described assistance from state and business organizations, requested training for online marketplace work and better ways to introduce products to state buyers, and discussed tariffs. The chair deferred questions for the business presenters until after adjournment. ## Bills discussed (1) Each account was written by gpt-6.1-sol from the stretch of the transcript it names. The bill's number is said in that stretch, unless it was the only bill on a committee's agenda. ### HB 704. State government; auditor produce certain monthly and annual reports; replace requirement [HB 704](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb704) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:17:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1027s), turns 3 to 425. The sponsor said the bill would replace monthly architectural and engineering contract reports with an annual searchable dashboard on Open Georgia, improving access without added cost. A Department of Audits and Accounts witness said only about 70% of required entities submit monthly reports, while existing annual submissions provide more complete information. The witness said the dashboard could show contract amounts and vendors’ locations, including rural areas. Asked about the reporting law’s purpose and safeguards against firms dominating contracts, the witness said its presumed purpose was preventing concentration and that current reports cover more than 400 firms over 36 months. The witness said the bill would not change contract awards and that agencies consulted reported not using the monthly report. Several members questioned whether annual reporting would weaken transparency. The witness said more frequent reporting would require retaining something like the current report because dashboard data are collected annually. Another member requested business certifications, such as veteran ownership; the witness supported considering them but cautioned against requiring data the department might not obtain. Members questioned the absence of explicit dashboard language, which the witness was willing to add. A member’s amendment requiring twice-yearly reporting failed, 10 to 14. The bill passed, 15 to 10. > The transcript runs 84,744 characters. A reader that cannot take it at once can read it in 2 parts: part 1 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-small-business-development.md?start=0; part 2 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-01-29/house-small-business-development.md?start=59954. ## Transcript (479 turns) [0:15:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=958s) Well, good morning. It's not as chilly, but it's, it's chilly. It's good to see y'all here. Appreciate y'all, uh, bearing with the weather to make it. Um, at this time I'd like to call the meeting to order, and, uh, the chair notes for the record that we do have a quorum. And I wanna thank the members of the committee to, for coming here today, and for the work on their committee, on this committee. I appreciate y'all's work. Uh, at this time I'm gonna call on Representative Danny Mathis to lead us in prayer. [0:16:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=991s) Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for everyone represented here. Please watch over their families. Watch over all of us as we travel later today, going home. We just thank you for many blessings. We thank you for all the folks that work with us here. Help us to make good, pure decisions in your name and your glory for the state of Georgia. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. [0:16:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1014s) Amen. [0:16:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1014s) Thank you, Representative Mathis. I appreciate that. Uh, we have a presentation. We have one bill. Uh, I'm gonna call on Representative Martinez, because the bill is 704, and it's actually my bill. So, uh, Representative Martinez, my vice chair, please come on up here and, uh, take over. [0:17:28](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1048s) Good morning, good morning. [0:17:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1051s) Okay. [0:17:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1052s) Yeah. It's all here. [0:17:35](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1055s) I'm gonna sit in the middle, 'cause I don't want him to be talking on those. There we go. [0:17:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1067s) All right. [0:17:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1076s) Oh. Good morning, Chairman. Are you ready to present? [0:17:59](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1079s) Ready to go. [0:18:00](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1080s) Let's do it. [0:18:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1081s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to bring before you House Bill 704. Uh, we voted it out of committee last year. I think the vote was unanimous. Um, and I'll just briefly read, uh, part of, uh, well, I think I left it up upfront. No, there was another one from last year, but it's okay. Um, no, here it is. Here it is. Um, this measure requires the Department of Audits and Accounts to transition from an outdated monthly report to an annual updated searchable dashboard on the Open Georgia website. [0:18:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1121s) HB 704 will also improve the efficiency of their department. Transitioning to a dashboard format will better provide access and more transparency to the citizens of Georgia at no additional cost. And at this time, I would like to call on Carol, uh, Swing- [0:19:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1141s) Schwenne. [0:19:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1141s) Schwenne. [0:19:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1142s) Yes. [0:19:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1142s) Carol Schwenne, the Executive, uh, Director of the Department of Audits and Accounts, uh, to explain the bill. [0:19:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1149s) Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Cheokas. Good morning, Chairman Martinez and members of the committee. Uh, my name is Carol Schwenne. I am with the Department of Audits and Accounts, and this is, uh, Matt Taylor, who is also with the department. He is one of our Director of Legislative Relations. Um, so we brought this bill, um, to Chairman Cheokas last year because, um, we feel like, one, this is, this report was, um, the law was enacted in 1970 originally. [0:19:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1179s) And the law requires every agency and college to submit a monthly report to our department, um, outlining and providing us information on contracts that they have, um, entered into for engineering and architectural firms during that month. And then each month we put together a statistical report, post it on our website, with just a list of agencies or, or companies that, um, are doing business with the State of Georgia. Um, one, it is a burden on the agencies and the colleges each month to provide us those end, uh, those monthly statistics. [0:20:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1217s) So each month they have to submit this report to us. And actually, only about 70% of the required reportees are submitting the information on a monthly basis. So when we prepare the statistical report, we're not necessarily actually getting full detail and, and complete information. What we would like to do, when we had brought this to, um, several members of leadership, um, the prior year and talked to them, and we originally wanted to discontinue the report altogether. [0:20:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1248s) And in discussing it with them, they felt like it would be more useful for us to prepare a dashboard and post it on a yearly basis along, on the Open Georgia website. We collect, um, professional contract information each year from all of the agencies and all of the colleges and universities, and so we can use that information that we're gathering from them anyway each, each year, usually around September, August, September time period, um, to, to prepare this dashboard. [0:21:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1279s) And that way it's relieving the burden on the agencies going forward, but yet we're still provi- providing, um, people who are interested in this information with, with relatively current information. It would just be a, a yearly, um, dashboard that would show statistical data on the contracts that are let. But it would also be able to be searchable for maybe if you're interested in knowing what vendors from rural areas are, um, are getting contracts with the State of Georgia. [0:21:50](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1310s) We'd be able to pr- prepare the dashboard so that it searches for those types of pieces of information, or maybe information on Vendors that we're, um, providing these contracts to that live outside of the state of Georgia. So if we were interested in knowing what portion of, of the data is, um, is, is st- remaining in our state, we'd be able to do that through a dashboard. Through the, through the way the, um, process works now, we don't have that information. And we think it would be much more valuable going forward if we were able to use a dashboard. [0:22:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1342s) So, um, we are just asking that the law be changed to eliminate the requirement for the monthly statistical report. Um, and instead, we will, um, begin to create a dashboard, um, once a year that could be, um, used, you know, where you'd be able to, um, access information and access information, you know, a little bit more detail that might be of interest to, to you all. Um, I'm happy to take any questions. [0:22:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1372s) Yes, we do. We do have a couple questions here. We're gonna start off with, um, number 16, Representative Carter. Oh. [0:23:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1381s) Oh, we have them over here. [0:23:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1384s) Oh, sorry. You good? [0:23:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1385s) Yeah. Thank you. Good- [0:23:06](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1386s) Kendrick. [0:23:08](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1388s) Yeah. Yeah, they're close together. [0:23:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1389s) All right. [0:23:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1389s) Good morning. Thank you. [0:23:10](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1390s) Kendrick. [0:23:14](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1394s) I heard him say Kendrick, so we call her a Kendrick. [0:23:16](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1396s) Is it... Who is this? [0:23:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1397s) I think I'm 16. I wa- I, my number just isn't it. [0:23:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1400s) No, it's Billy's daughter. [0:23:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1400s) I'm 16. She's 17. I'm Ms. Billy's- [0:23:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1402s) Wow. Since I was 16. [0:23:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1404s) Are you good? [0:23:25](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1405s) But I still remember. [0:23:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1406s) I was 16. [0:23:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1407s) That day. Anyway, thank you. Um, so- [0:23:30](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1410s) She talks so she didn't come in [0:23:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1412s) ... I did come in just a tad bit after you had begun, and I was listening to your presentation. So I always start with trying to understand the why. So I understand that you, you, you said that it's cumbersome and that only seven p- 70% are compliant. But if you s- said this already, tell me again, what is the purpose of the data, and how is it used? [0:24:00](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1440s) So, um, the law that we're trying to change- [0:24:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1444s) Mm-hmm [0:24:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1444s) ... was enacted in 1970. [0:24:06](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1446s) Got that. [0:24:06](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1446s) And thankfully, I can say I was not an employee of the state in 1970. So [0:24:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1452s) You didn't think about it. [0:24:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1452s) So, um, I, I can't promise that I know exactly. But, um, we be- what we're thinking was the original intent is maybe back then, there were not that many architectural and engineering firms, and the goal was to make sure that, um, not all the business was going to one firm. [0:24:33](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1473s) Mm-hmm. Okay. [0:24:34](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1474s) But if you were to look at the report right now, I mean, there's over 400 firms that get reported on each, each month. And, and it's 36-month rolling average, so they're not all getting contracts every month. But at some point during a 36-month period, there's over 400 ve- um, agents or compa- companies that are receiving contracts through the State of Georgia. So we feel like that diversity issue, if that was the concern, that, you know, um, most of the work- [0:25:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1503s) Mm-hmm [0:25:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1503s) ... was going to a few vendors, um, that issue probably is not apparent, or, you know, not, not a con- should not be a concern at this point. And, you know, the Department of Administrative Services has a lot of programs that have been enacted since that time that help to promote, um, more diversity in the types of vendors, the number of vendors that are receiving contracts through the state. So, um, you know, we think maybe it's served its purpose- [0:25:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1532s) Mm-hmm [0:25:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1532s) ... um, from 1970. And so we would just like to move on to something that might be, you know, more useful and more informative. [0:25:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1540s) Okay. Thank you. That'll I'll yield to my- [0:25:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1541s) Thank you [0:25:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1541s) ... colleague. [0:25:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1545s) Thank you. Thank you. And we have, uh, 28, Representative Tarvin. [0:25:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1552s) Is she calling me? Uh, I'm, I probably missed, missed, uh, Chairman Ke- Cheokas said we passed this out last year. [0:26:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1563s) Yes, sir. [0:26:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1564s) What are we changing? [0:26:06](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1566s) Nothing. It got held up in rules, so it came back to us. [0:26:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1569s) Oh, but Rules sent it back to you. [0:26:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1571s) Well, you know, it, we didn't make it out of Rules, so it never made a vote to the floor. And so at the end of session last year, all the bills that were in Rules went back to their committee. [0:26:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1583s) Okay. [0:26:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1583s) So what we're doing is- [0:26:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1584s) Mm-hmm [0:26:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1584s) ... representing the same bill that we voted out last year. [0:26:28](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1588s) Thank you. [0:26:33](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1593s) Number 23, Representative Okoye. [0:26:36](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1596s) Thank, thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. Um, uh, for full disclosure, I do have an engineering company, and I do do business with the state, not lately. But this job doesn't give me time to do that. [0:26:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1618s) But anyway, um, you didn't know why that was enacted in the, in the beginning. And since we passed it before, I wasn't here at that meeting. I, I'm sure we're going to pass it again. But I was just wondering, rather than a whole year, did you consider quarterly or semiannually? [0:27:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1642s) Let me, let me inter- the, the, the... Let me interject here. Um, w- what it does is it, it lists the number of engineering companies, uh, and firms that do business with the State of Georgia. And, and what we're trying to do is because a lot of this thing is repetitive, it's, it's, and a lot of the, uh, um, the, the work that's being done is the timeliness of it going out in one month, it's just not necessary anymore. [0:27:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1676s) Um, to do it quarterly, I mean, it would save some. If it did it semiannually, it would save some. But, you know- We feel, and correct me if I'm wrong, that on an annual basis on a searchable website that, uh, anybody can access that this information is, is dispersed more efficiently. And, um, you know, I, if, if, I don't see that on an annual basis would be that big a, um, a shift, but that's my opinion. [0:28:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1706s) Anyway, do you wanna add to that? [0:28:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1709s) I was just gonna say that, um, each year all of the agencies and the colleges and universities have to submit to us, um, data on their, um, professional services and contracts. And so we would just feed off of the information that's already being received, um, to us each year and, and, and build on that to prepare the dashboard. So again, this would relieve the burden on the agencies, and it would sure- it would ensure that we have a complete and accurate set of information that would be presented instead of relying on the agencies to self-report. [0:29:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1747s) 17, Representative Kendrick. [0:29:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1749s) Yes. Thank you, uh, Mr. Vice Chair. So I see in the handout that you have that you don't believe the original intent of the law, which was to ensure a more diverse population of engineering firms, uh, is no longer relevant. Obviously, we're gonna di- disagree. I think we even, we need even more transparency th- than ever. Hold on, I have a question. Um, and so to piggyback off the last gentleman's question, um, the difference between a month and a year is huge. I work with business owners. [0:29:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1780s) It can mean the difference between pivoting and how you operate, processes, things. That's a huge gap. So at the appropriate time, I would like to make an amendment or, or if, if my colleague wants to make an amendment for that to be quarterly, because I think that will catch anything, um, that needs to be adjusted. One year is way too long. [0:30:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1805s) Okay. Thank you. We got number 18, Representative Bazemore. [0:30:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1812s) Thank you, Mr. Ch- [0:30:13](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1813s) Can I, can I make a comment? I'm sorry. [0:30:14](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1814s) Absolutely. [0:30:15](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1815s) Okay. So when, when I use the term diverse, I'm, I'm talking more of like limiting to one company. We have a lot of opportunities. Um, I d- I don't mean diversity from, you know, um, from, from a term of like, you know, maybe minority businesses or things like that. We can't show that information on the statistical report that we have. Honestly, on a dashboard, we probably would be able to gather more of that information. Um, but all we see is like a name of a company on, on this report. [0:30:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1851s) So I'm referring to more of like a, a, not having one or two companies monopolize the business, not the types of companies that they are. We wanna be able to see that, you know, there's, there's a lot of, um, you know, through a dashboard we'd be able to see if there's a lot of, um, volume of activity and, and contracts being let to different areas of the state, different types of companies, companies that are in Georgia, companies that are not in Georgia. [0:31:21](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1881s) So it's more a matter of, like I said, bridges. I, I think, like I said, the original purpose was to make sure there weren't one or two companies that were monopolizing the, um, the business. [0:31:33](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1893s) Okay. Thanks for the clarification. [0:31:34](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1894s) Okay. And my apologies for- [0:31:36](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1896s) I will probably update- [0:31:36](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1896s) Right [0:31:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1897s) ... and, uh, explain a little bit more- [0:31:38](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1898s) Yeah [0:31:38](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1898s) ... in your, in your handout. [0:31:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1899s) Okay. [0:31:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1900s) Um, but m- but I'm still gonna offer the amendment- [0:31:42](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1902s) Okay [0:31:42](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1902s) ... because I still think it's too big of a gap between a month and a year. [0:31:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1905s) Mm-hmm. All right. Representative Bazemore. [0:31:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1911s) Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you so much for your presentation. So my question to you is what safeguards, safeguards will be in place to make sure that a handful of firms do not dominate state contracts now that the caps are repealed? [0:32:08](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1928s) Okay. So, um, I cannot answer that question specifically. Um, if you were to look at the report that currently exists, um, like I said, there's over 400 vendors that are receiving contracts that have ha- that have a contract within the last 36 months. [0:32:38](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1958s) Mm-hmm. [0:32:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1959s) So there is a lot of, um, you know, there are a lot of vendors that are, that are participating in state business, which i- which is a great thing. I think a lot of the programs that the Department of Administrative Services have in place now help to support a, a greater volume of, um, companies being able to access, um, and, and be vendors for the state. And so I think a lot of that work would, would help to just continue to allow for this, um, larger volume of, of people still, still, um, earning contracts. [0:33:18](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=1998s) Okay. [0:33:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2000s) May I- [0:33:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2000s) So- [0:33:21](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2001s) Okay. Go ahead. [0:33:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2002s) Add to that. [0:33:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2003s) Oh, go. [0:33:25](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2005s) Um, in 1970, Georgia was a completely different state than it is today. In 1970, Atlanta was at about a million people. Um, and apparently from what I've gathered, there was a lot of concern that just one or two or three engineering firms were gonna monopolize the business, and that's why the, that was the intent of the beginning of, of this legislation, so people could see who was actually getting the business. [0:34:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2041s) And it was those few firms that were out of Atlanta that were getting the business from a lot of, of, of activities at universities in the rural part of the state. And so I think the intent of this has been accomplished in that we have now over 400 firms that- [0:34:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2064s) Um, um, bid and, and are accepted in the, in, in this, uh, you know, in this area. That was the intent. They were concerned that there was gonna be just one or two firms that were gonna monopolize the business. [0:34:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2080s) Okay. Follow-up question. [0:34:42](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2082s) Sure. Mr. Chair, thank you. [0:34:44](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2084s) Yes, go ahead. [0:34:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2085s) Um, you may have said this, and I may have missed it, but has, has there been consultation with stakeholders about this change? And what was the outcome? [0:34:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2096s) So when we first, um, started discussing this a couple years ago, we did actually reach out to some of the larger agencies that predominantly have more contracts. [0:35:08](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2108s) Mm-hmm. [0:35:08](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2108s) And we asked them how they use the report. And, um, they're like, "We don't. We just send you monthly statistics and move on." [0:35:16](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2116s) Oh. [0:35:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2117s) So the report is not actually being used. Um, honestly, the Department of Administrative Services did not even know that that report existed. A- and, um, you know, they are the ones that actually oversee procurement in the s- [0:35:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2129s) Mm-hmm [0:35:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2129s) ... in the state. So, um, they're, from the perspective of the state agencies, there does not seem to be a, a concern about eliminating the report. [0:35:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2143s) Okay. Thank you. [0:35:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2148s) All right. Uh, Representative Holly. [0:35:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2152s) Thank you there, Mr. Chair. Thank you, uh, Representative Cheokas, for re- bringing this bill back, and thank you for providing your testimony on it. I, um, appreciate you speaking about how, uh, some of the other agencies, you wanna kind of g- get in line with what's already being offered. Uh, I know I've, you know, for the eight years I've been here, I've been on Transportation Committee. Are you familiar with, like, the, the Georgia Procurement Registry- [0:36:15](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2175s) Yes, sir [0:36:15](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2175s) ... in terms of how it's, how it's registered? Um, will this system, um, be able to also present the, a lot of the certifications that are offered for businesses that are provided, like, on a, f- through the secretary of state's office? Like for instance, like, you know, there's, uh, you know, e- even though I, I know times have changed, it's not 1970, and now, for instance, um, for, you have, um, anytime you have, for instance, uh, if you have a firm that is owned by, like, a, a military veteran, um, and that can be certified by the state. [0:36:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2211s) Mm-hmm. [0:36:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2212s) Um, you know, the Georgia Procurement Registry that the Department of Transportation uses will actually include that. Um, and in this sense, i- and would it, can it be actually, um... Would it be, I guess, maybe troublesome, I don't think it would be, um, certainly to align it with the Department of Transportation to be able to say, "Hey, this is not only a business here, um, but it's actually certified by the State of Georgia to show that it actually is a veteran-owned business," 'cause that's what the Georgia, uh, Procurement, the Registry already provides. [0:37:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2243s) So are you asking if the, if the dashboard would be able to identify that on the dashboard? [0:37:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2247s) The same way as it does on the secretary of state's site. [0:37:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2249s) Um, that's a good point. I mean, we can set the dashboard up- [0:37:33](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2253s) Mm-hmm [0:37:33](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2253s) ... um, to offer a couple things. We'd have to work specifically with the, um, secretary of state's office or the Department of Administrative Services to capture that information. [0:37:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2263s) Mm-hmm. [0:37:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2263s) But we could definitely give that consideration. [0:37:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2265s) Okay. I mean, 'cause I would actually- [0:37:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2267s) Mm-hmm [0:37:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2267s) ... um, 'cause I know there's, there's the, there's the part of it that any times you provide that, um, in terms of just the process- [0:37:55](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2275s) Mm [0:37:55](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2275s) ... of what's actually available, um, in the, in, in terms of what that software actually allows to be researchable. [0:38:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2282s) Right. [0:38:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2282s) Um, but there's also, um, it would be nice, I think, um, you know, at the appropriate time, um, to perhaps put that in this statute here to be able to say, um, that along with, I think I'm looking on line 74, 75, and 76, um, that it literally talks about, um, what will be shown. [0:38:21](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2301s) Yeah. Mm-hmm. [0:38:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2302s) Um, the amount of the contract award, statistics on the number of contracts awarded to the firms in the State of Georgia- [0:38:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2309s) Mm-hmm [0:38:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2309s) ... and the statistics on the number of contracts awarded to firms in rural s- parts of the state. I would like to see, um, state, um, the business state certifications that the secretary of state offers, um, for that to kind of, to be in there as well. Just to, you know, just as an addition. It doesn't take anything away from this. [0:38:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2327s) Mm. [0:38:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2327s) It just puts it in line with what's already accepted through the secretary of state's office. [0:38:55](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2335s) Mm-hmm. [0:38:55](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2335s) I mean- [0:38:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2336s) My, my only concern with that would be, um, we, we don't know for sure how our systems would interact- [0:39:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2342s) Mm-hmm [0:39:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2342s) ... and whether or not we'd be able to get that information. So I would be uncomfortable putting it in the law- [0:39:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2349s) Mm-hmm [0:39:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2349s) ... specifically. [0:39:10](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2350s) Mm. Exactly right. [0:39:10](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2350s) But I think it's a fantastic idea. [0:39:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2352s) Okay. [0:39:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2352s) And we are definitely, which is why we've said they're authorized to add additional statistical information, because we wanna make this as useful- [0:39:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2360s) Okay [0:39:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2360s) ... for everybody as possible, and it definitely would be something, if this is p- if this is passed- [0:39:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2364s) Yeah [0:39:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2364s) ... that we could definitely consider. And if it, if it passes, I'd be happy to talk to you about it and make sure that we understand, too. [0:39:30](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2370s) It, uh, e- exactly. And, and that's all it is. [0:39:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2372s) Okay. [0:39:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2372s) Just, you know, uh, we want our businesses to, to do, you know, to not only have access, um... I'm, I'm sorry for the follow-up. Just, just, you know, want our business to be, um, able to be identified. But at the same time, and I think it helps us as a state- [0:39:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2386s) Mm [0:39:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2386s) ... if we're showing that our businesses actually have gotten cleared and verified, and especially for those that are, like, youth entrepreneurs or veterans, um, that if it's something that already a bigger database already shows, um, that if that's something that their office says, "Hey, we can actually do this," then, um, even to have that codified, I think actually helps us. But yeah, thank you. Appreciate it, Mr. Chairman. [0:40:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2412s) Thank you so much. Um, Mitchell Horner, Representative Mitchell Horner. [0:40:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2419s) Thank you, Vice Chairman. Thank you guys for doing this bill today. Um, so what is the average costs for our engineering firms and all these regulatory, for this regulation that we are trying to strip away, for the average engineering business or a- average firm? [0:40:33](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2433s) What is- [0:40:34](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2434s) What's the- [0:40:35](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2435s) This doesn't cost the engineering firms anything. [0:40:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2437s) Okay. [0:40:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2437s) I'm not, I'm not sure what your question is. [0:40:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2439s) I gotcha. Perfect. Thank you. [0:40:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2440s) Um, 'cause this is, this is, um, this is work that the state agencies have to provide to us. The engineering firms are not providing this information in order to prepare this. [0:40:49](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2449s) W- well, what's the average cost for doing this type of audit while we're, wh- while we're trying to push it off further, I guess, is what I'm trying to say? [0:40:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2458s) Okay, so we... I mean, it's not an audit, it's just this is self-reported information from agencies and colleges and universities. So they submit it to us. We have to just compile the data and, and, and then issue the report on a monthly basis. [0:41:13](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2473s) All right. Thank you. [0:41:13](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2473s) So it's, it's not... I mean, you know, it's just our time and effort, you know, the agency's time and effort to send us the information, compile the information, and then our time to compile the statistical report. [0:41:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2484s) Perfect. Thank you. [0:41:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2487s) Representative Carter. [0:41:28](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2488s) Thank you. [0:41:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2492s) S- okay, so by my... I guess I have a concern more so, um, in how if only 70% are currently providing the data, um, it doesn't appear to be any consequences. But if you... And I understand it's cumbersome to do it monthly. If you move to annually, A, you said no one's looking at this report and, like, they didn't even know this report was supposed to have been provided. Um, so if you move to annual or quarterly, whatever we end up with out, out this committee, how will, um, how will you all encourage or ensure that the organizations that should be providing the data, w- you will get the data? [0:42:21](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2541s) So on an annual basis, they're required to provide us, um, statistics and information on their expenditures and all of their professional contracts. [0:42:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2551s) Okay. [0:42:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2552s) And, and by law they are required to do that. [0:42:35](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2555s) So- [0:42:35](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2555s) And, and so, you know, thankfully, that is actually a, um, b- we, we post that information on Open Georgia. So it would be very clear if there was an informati- or if there was an agency that wasn't reporting their information to us, um, on an annual basis. So we, we actually do have excellent compliance with that reporting requirement on an annual basis. [0:42:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2576s) Okay, so you have compliance for the annual report- [0:42:59](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2579s) So, so what- [0:43:00](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2580s) ... but they're not compliant on the monthly report. [0:43:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2583s) No, ma'am. [0:43:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2583s) Okay. [0:43:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2583s) I mean, well, the annual report is much more complete. It's not just engineering and architectural data. It's all of their expenditures. [0:43:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2591s) Okay. [0:43:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2591s) And that's what we're reporting on Open Georgia. So they're already submitting this report. And so this would just be, um, you know, for, for agencies that have architectural and engineering contracts on an annual basis, they might have to provide us a little bit more detail specific to those, but they're used to submitting that annual report to us on a monthly, uh, I mean, on an annual basis. [0:43:33](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2613s) Okay, ma'am, further. So- [0:43:36](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2616s) Ma'am. [0:43:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2617s) Okay. S- okay, 'cause I'm trying to, I'm trying to understand from going to the month to the year, and no one's looking at the report and knew the report was supposed to be there. So, so the thought is, is in their annual compliance, you will add this as an additional, um, data that needs to be provided? Is that, is that- [0:43:55](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2635s) Most of the data they're already providing us, and we can, we can pull from the data that they're providing us already to prepare the searchable dashboard. [0:44:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2645s) Okay. I'm trying to understand why we're here. Thank you. [0:44:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2651s) To simplify everything, all we're trying to do is get a more, uh, to streamline the process by not doing, uh, repetitive reports that are incomplete. On an annual basis, all the colleges and universities have to report everything, and all they do is compile it. Whereas now, and what Carol was saying earlier, is they're self-reporting on a monthly basis about 70%, but on an annual basis, it's 100%. [0:44:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2687s) Yeah. [0:44:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2688s) So that's, that's all we're trying to do. And we're not trying to change the purpose of this. It exists today. We're not trying to direct it in any other direction. We're not trying to do anything else except change it from a monthly format to an annual format. And if you don't know about this information, probably most other people don't either. It's used mostly by the, um, I would assume by the vendors, but it's, it's only to make sure that one or two companies don't monopolize the state. [0:45:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2726s) Oh, okay. I mean, I hear what you're saying, but y- the, the testimony that was, we just heard is saying that the people who should be getting this report aren't providing it, and no one knew that they should be. [0:45:38](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2738s) So that- [0:45:38](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2738s) So is that us not knowing? We're just trying to- [0:45:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2740s) That's the same people. [0:45:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2741s) Yeah. [0:45:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2741s) They're the same people. [0:45:42](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2742s) Okay. [0:45:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2743s) Okay? And, and, and, and am I correct in, in saying that this is coming from the universities and colleges and other, other institutions? [0:45:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2752s) Yes. [0:45:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2752s) Okay. [0:45:53](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2753s) Agencies, colleges, and universities have to- [0:45:55](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2755s) Annually they must, by law, report. Monthly they don't, they don't necessarily comply, so we're not sure how accurate the monthly reports are. But if we go to an annual report, the annual report will be very, very accurate. [0:46:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2771s) Gotcha. And, and I guess just, um, I guess my, my... What I'm trying to communicate, my bigger concern is if the purpose of this data is to assure that one or two companies or a percentage are not monopolizing, right? But then no one's looking at it, so you don't know if we had a issue [0:46:34](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2794s) So that's, that's really my concern is more of you go into, monthly they're not providing it, yearly they may provide it, but then you still have this gap- No, monthly they may provide it, yearly they must provide it. Oh, okay. You, you, we digging too deep into a hole that you ... 'Cause I was with you. You mi- you're almost losing me, but thank you. [0:47:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2821s) All right. Um, Representative Mathis. Mr. Vice Chairman. Is it on? There we go. There we go. Uh, I was gonna ask a question, um, and, uh, Chairman Cheokas, he, he answered a good bit of it, uh, so we're, we're just extending this. I, I remember talking about this last year from, from one month to a year. But any time that we do any kind of, uh, architectural or any kind of construction or anything like that, everything follows certain protocol for them to be awarded. [0:47:36](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2856s) So we have all different kinds of companies that, that do this. So basically, what we're trying to do here is just take off the burden of a, a month and extend it to a year. So I, I'm, I'm a little perplexed that e- even if I understand all you're trying to do is from a, a month to a year, I was wanting to know if there was any other underlying things, and I, and I read your, your ... And I don't see anything. [0:48:06](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2886s) Uh, so I just wanna make sure, I, I'm, I agree with the, my Democratic colleague here. I wanna make sure that everything is fair and across the board, and I think all that's done when you award that. What you're doing is telling how many contracts are out. So that ... Can, could I get a response from you on that? Yes, sir. Um, so, so this would not change the award process at all. That would still be done at the state agency or at the college and, you know, level. So, uh, all we're wanting to do is, so if you were to look at the, the architectural and engineering report, it is just, you know, 20, 30 pages of, of- Why don't we pass one of those around? [0:48:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2927s) ... um, vendors that have received contracts over the last 36 months. So the intent of our request is predominantly to, um, to improve the level of data that you all are gonna receive and information about the vendors that are receiving contracts with the state. Doing it in a, um, searchable dashboard, like I said, you would be able to, um ... One, it would be on Open Georgia, which is where all of the, um, annual information is for agencies and the colleges and universities, um, regarding their expenditures and their contracts and things like that. [0:49:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=2964s) So it would be, you know, a, a partner on, on the Open Georgia website with, with that information. But you could also take it, like I said, drill down, identify, you know, who in my community, what vendors are receiving contracts in my community, what m- what vendors are receiving contracts that are, um, outside the State of Georgia, what percentage of contracts have been, um, awarded to rural vendors, what percentage of contracts are ... You know what I mean? Like, so based on the information you are looking for, you'd be able to actually pull that from a searchable dashboard. [0:50:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3001s) The way we have our information right now in the report, it's just a list of vendors who have re- have gotten contracts, and you don't know if they got contract this past month or 36 months ago because that, the, the law requires us to prepare a statistical report with listing every contract that's been awarded over a 36-month period of time. Okay. So it's, it's just not that informative, and we feel like a dashboard would provide so much more information that you could actually see who's getting contracts, where, you know, where are, do those vendors reside, you know, where, where's their operations that are getting the contracts. [0:50:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3040s) Um, and it would just be more helpful to anybody that might be interested in this information. Yes, ma'am. Can I, can I have a follow-up, Mr. Chairman? Yes, sir. You answered the question that I wanted to hear, 'cause I, I'm like a lot of the folks on, on, on this, this committee, that I'm, I'm concerned greatly about rural Georgia. And I wanted to make sure that this had nothing to do with that, and I didn't think it did, but I was, after the, some questions were, were lifted, uh, I didn't know whether this was gonna change the process of how, you know, engineers and contractors were, were hired. [0:51:16](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3076s) But that's got nothing- No, sir. It had nothing to do with that ... we're just trying to do. Because I love to see what you just said, that we, we use companies that are close by and we use, uh, rural companies, we use metropolitan, big companies, all diversified-type companies. I, I really, I really, uh, I really appreciate that, and I'm certainly glad that you clarified that for me, 'cause I didn't see that anywhere in any of this. It just looked like to me that we were just trying to go from a month to a year, that everything else stayed the same. [0:51:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3108s) So I got a little concerned when the questions got asked, are we, were we doing something? 'Cause I don't wanna knock out my rural folks. I, I can tell you that. I, I'm, I'm from a small town, and I like to make sure that we use those just as much as anybody, have a fair chance. And ideally, um, going to a dashboard approach, we'd be able to see that. It'd be a lot more visible to see what companies in rural Georgia were getting contracts with the state. That'd be great, but I mean, I think you already are doing that from what I understand. [0:52:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3139s) I mean, but we, we can, uh, you, you can find out who's getting contracts and all. This is just- Not, not through the report that we're required to prepare ... But there's other agencies that we can go through to find those type of things out. Right. Exactly. This is just so they won't have to do this every month. Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you. All right. Number 18, Representative Bazemore. [0:52:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3165s) You got it. Thank you, Mr. Chair, again. Just, I have a concern listening to, um, the presentation and the answers. Y- you keep re- referencing a dashboard, but I don't think that's in the current legislation, but it's not up and running yet, the dashboard that you keep referring to. [0:53:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3187s) No, ma'am, it's not. By law, we are not required to prepare a dashboard for this information. [0:53:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3191s) Mm-hmm. [0:53:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3192s) Um, what we would like to do is change the law, so instead of doing the monthly statistical report, we will prepare that dashboard, and we'll post it on Open Georgia, where we post all of the other information- [0:53:25](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3205s) Right [0:53:25](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3205s) ... from the state agencies. [0:53:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3206s) Right. But I'm sorry, and I may have missed it. Is it in this proposal here that we have in front of us? [0:53:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3211s) Uh, yes, ma'am. We call it a searchable r- let me, let me find the exact wording. [0:53:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3223s) Se- it probably says searchable website. [0:54:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3245s) It, it does not, but, uh, we, we can modify. But, but that is our intent, is to put it on s- on, on the website as a dashboard- [0:54:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3252s) Okay [0:54:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3252s) ... on the Open Georgia website. [0:54:13](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3253s) And, and that was my concern, because I know you, you addressed it a couple times and stated about the dashboard, but I didn't- [0:54:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3259s) Yes [0:54:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3259s) ... remember seeing it in there. [0:54:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3260s) So the, so the law requires us to post it on- [0:54:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3263s) Mm-hmm [0:54:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3263s) ... on, on Open Georgia, which is the, um, transparency and, you know- [0:54:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3266s) Mm-hmm [0:54:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3266s) ... that's, that's the information, the, uh, the website that resulted from the Transparency in Government Act. And our intent would be to p- um, prepare a dashboard with this information. [0:54:34](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3274s) And, and my other concern is, um, something my, um, colleague mentioned early on about diversity that was in here. And I know you said it wasn't meant the way that it could be taken right now. [0:54:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3286s) Mm-hmm. [0:54:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3286s) But I think we need to change that language. [0:54:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3288s) Yes, ma'am, I will. [0:54:49](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3289s) Thank you. [0:54:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3294s) All right. Uh, Representative Adesanya. [0:54:57](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3297s) Thank you, Chairman. Um, I have worked in settings where I've had to pull and provide report, and the purpose of the report is to make sure that, um, there is transparency, that the feeder, the folk who are receiving the report, um, knows what's going on much, much frequently. Now, you've mentioned that you all wanted transparency, and you wanna move from one month to one year. Come on. If we want to ensure enforce transparency, there is no way you go from providing information for people to make decisions, there is no way you go from one month to one year and you think that's transparent. [0:55:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3337s) I mean, I have strong concerns, because you can't hold information that's valuable that people use from one month to 12 months and you think that that's transparent. I mean, I just, I don't see how that is. [0:55:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3358s) I, uh... [0:55:59](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3359s) I don't see how that is. [0:56:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3365s) Did y'all look at the report? [0:56:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3367s) Yes. [0:56:08](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3368s) I passed it around. [0:56:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3369s) And it wasn't just, um, universities on it. So there were so many LLCs on there. [0:56:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3372s) Yeah. [0:56:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3372s) And I think it's imperative that we not go to one year. One year is a long time. I mean, we can take the amendment and at least move it to three months. [0:56:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3384s) There's a lot of LLCs on there. [0:56:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3387s) All right, we're gonna go with, um, Representative Schofield. Go ahead. [0:56:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3391s) Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I, I mean, I, again, understand the intent behind this, but I, I agree with colleagues on both sides, not just because Danny's gone. We Republicans over there, but I'm saying that- [0:56:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3403s) That'd be the last one [0:56:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3403s) ... why can't we move it to biannually? And if you're saying that you understand, I'm just curious that it's a searchable website, but there's no dashboard language in the la- uh, in the bill. You didn't say, "Well, we'll add it in." You just said, "Oh, yeah, we understand, and it's our intent." So my question is, when it will it be added in? And can we get it in this legislation before we can move it? [0:57:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3427s) It's a sentence. Do we have, uh, a- [0:57:10](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3430s) No, I don't care. I mean, the dashboard- [0:57:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3432s) Do you have, do you have, uh, searchable websites now already? [0:57:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3437s) Yes. [0:57:18](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3438s) Say that. [0:57:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3439s) Not, not on this topic, though. [0:57:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3440s) No, not on this topic, but we already have, uh, uh, uh, programs in place. [0:57:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3446s) Okay. So, so w- we d- we do have dashboards on our website, not specific to this. So we, we would be able to pull, put this together. I mean, I don't know that we're opposed to adding a statement saying that this would be on a searchable dashboard. Um, I guess we were thinking, you know, there may be other opportunities. I mean, the goal is to make sure that this information is posted and transparent and searchable and has the information that the, um, legislature and state leadership needs. So, um, whether it's a, a dashboard or some other mechanism that's on Open Georgia, you know, I guess we just didn't wanna, like, limit ourself to the term dashboard, was initially why we didn't use that terminology in the law. [0:58:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3489s) But we're not opposed to adding that, if that would be the will of the committee. [0:58:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3497s) All right. We appreciate all the discussions. Uh, thank you so much. I know the gentleman beside you has not spoken. Is there any closing remarks or any, any other discussions- Uh, that you wanna add to it? [0:58:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3509s) N- n- I don't. That's all. [0:58:34](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3514s) All right. All right, and the committee, um, do we have a motion on this, uh, on this bill? [0:58:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3520s) Make a motion. [0:58:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3521s) Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Point of order. [0:58:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3523s) No, you run this committee. You run it. [0:58:44](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3524s) Point, point of order. We had a member that asked about offering amendment. [0:58:49](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3529s) Yeah. [0:58:49](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3529s) Yeah, that's- [0:58:50](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3530s) Okay. [0:58:50](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3530s) That's coming. Yeah, that's coming. [0:58:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3531s) You go first. [0:58:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3534s) All right. Like- Oh, you... I didn't, I didn't see it. [0:59:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3541s) We have a motion. [0:59:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3541s) We do have a motion. I, I didn't see. [0:59:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3544s) I heard it Saturday. [0:59:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3544s) Okay. [0:59:06](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3546s) So you didn't intend to ask. [0:59:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3547s) All I'm trying to do is ask another question. [0:59:10](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3550s) Okay, I, I didn't see you. [0:59:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3551s) You can write your question. [0:59:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3552s) Oh. [0:59:13](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3553s) Go ahead. Go ahead. All right. We have... All right, we just got two more pop-ups here. 20- Okay, 23. Who's the 23? [0:59:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3559s) Okoiye. [0:59:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3560s) Okay. And 17? [0:59:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3563s) It's Kendrick. [0:59:25](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3565s) Okay. [0:59:26](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3566s) And Mathis. [0:59:28](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3568s) And you're 26, so you want- [0:59:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3569s) 17. Go, go ahead. [0:59:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3571s) All right. So we just ... All of us that we got, we got... All right. So we got 23. I'm going by the order real quick. 20... Uh, Representative Okoiye, go ahead. [0:59:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3580s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, one year will be good, and there's, there's no harm. And the question I ask, I hear quarterly, and I'm asking if you went to bi, uh, semiannually, would that cause any harm? [1:00:08](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3608s) So the dashboard will only work if we're capturing information on a yearly basis. So if, if you want the information more frequently, as in quarterly or semiannually, we probably need to keep a similar statistical report that we're currently doing, just change the requirement to, um, be, be less frequent. But we would not be able to do the dashboard and have that information complete unless that we, we are capturing on a yearly basis, because that's how we capture our information in our department is on a yearly basis once that year is completed. [1:00:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3648s) Thank you. [1:00:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3652s) All right. Um, Representative Kendrick. [1:00:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3656s) She's already. She's already- [1:00:57](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3657s) Oh, okay. Rep- Representative, uh, Mathis now. [1:01:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3661s) Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [1:01:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3664s) Explain to me a little bit, I'm... You can look at me and tell that I'm kinda old. So, and, uh- You, you talk about a dashboard. Now, when I talk about a dashboard, I talk about what's in my car. And I'm used to sticking a key in a ignition and cranking it up, and then the dashboard lights up. So wh- they asked the question, uh, my friend on the end down there, my seatmate, uh, ab- about the different part, the dashboard. [1:01:35](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3695s) Explain to me what, what, what that's gonna do for us. [1:01:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3699s) So, so basically, I mean, in... The, the simplest dashboard is almost really a really top-notch Excel spreadsheet, and you can use it to filter information. [1:01:50](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3710s) Mm-hmm. [1:01:50](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3710s) We can put information specific to various vendors. For example, we could identify, like, what, you know, what, um, city they operate in, those types of things, what agencies received, um, contracts through that vendor, um, the v- the, obviously the dollar amount of the contracts- [1:02:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3731s) Mm-hmm [1:02:11](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3731s) ... that were received, potentially information on whether or not they're a veteran-owned business or a minority-owned business or, um, those, those types of things. And you can filter for whatever information you wanted. So for example, in, in a dashboard, if you wanted to filter for information specific to, um, all vendors that received a contract that are, um, in Southwest Georgia, and you posted the, the counties you were interested in, the dashboard would pop that information up. [1:02:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3765s) Um, we can also... In a dashboard, there would be also graphics potentially, so you could see information graphically, like the total number, like on a graph, you know, without even l- you know, doing filters, information on potentially, um, Atlanta-owned businesses versus rural businesses, you know, and it's right there visible for you to see on, on this information. But you can filter for what you want, or you could just see things quite graphically in, in visual pictures basically. [1:03:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3797s) Well, I appreciate you explaining that to me. I know most of these folks on this committee know all about that. I have a hard time turning on this phone I got, but, uh- I, uh, I, I, I kinda wanted to know a little bit more about a dashboard, so I appreciate that. [1:03:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3811s) You're welcome. [1:03:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3811s) Mr. Chairman, at this time can we make a motion? Yes, go ahead. Motion to vote. All right, we have a motion. Second? [1:03:38](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3818s) Second. [1:03:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3819s) We have a second. Um- [1:03:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3826s) Um- [1:03:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3826s) Oh. We do, we do have an amendment. Um- [1:03:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3831s) We gotta vote. [1:03:52](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3832s) We gotta vote? All right. All in favor, signify... Oh. [1:03:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3834s) Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. [1:03:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3836s) Lieutenant amendment. [1:03:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3836s) What, what happened to the amendment? [1:03:57](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3837s) Lieutenant's amendment. [1:04:00](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3840s) The amendment. All right. All right, the amendment. [1:04:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3842s) Yes, the amendment. [1:04:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3842s) All right, we do have an amendment. [1:04:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3844s) She needs to propose her amendment. [1:04:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3845s) Exactly. Exactly. Representative Kendrick, go ahead. [1:04:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3849s) Um- [1:04:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3849s) All right [1:04:09](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3849s) ... I would like to... [1:04:14](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3854s) Can you hear me? [1:04:14](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3854s) Yes. [1:04:14](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3854s) Can anybody hear me? Okay. Um, I would like to make a motion, and, um, it's several places, i- so I'm gonna do it all as one as opposed to doing it individual. So I would like to make a motion, um, to change, uh, line 70, line 72- [1:04:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3877s) Line- [1:04:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3877s) ... line 78, 79, and 80 from annual- [1:04:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3883s) 70 [1:04:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3885s) ... to biannual. [1:04:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3887s) 70. [1:04:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3888s) Biann- semiannually. Whatever means twice a year. [1:05:00](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3900s) Right, right. Whatever. [1:05:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3902s) 70. [1:05:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3904s) Do we have a second? [1:05:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3905s) Uh, the lines are s- 70, 72, and if I missed any, please let me know. 70, 78, 79, uh- [1:05:16](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3916s) Okay. Is that it? [1:05:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3920s) And- [1:05:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3920s) I don't know if that was it [1:05:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3923s) ... li- i- yeah. Well, 80 would... Anyway, yes. [1:05:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3927s) All right. Is that a former of a, of a amendment? [1:05:30](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3930s) Yes. [1:05:30](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3930s) Yes. [1:05:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3931s) Second. [1:05:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3931s) We have a first and a second. Now we're gonna take the vote on the amendment. All in favor signify by saying aye. [1:05:38](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3938s) Aye. [1:05:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3939s) Aye. [1:05:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3939s) Why don't you do a hand vote? [1:05:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3941s) Yeah, I'll handle it. [1:05:42](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3942s) You got it. [1:05:44](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3944s) And then- [1:05:44](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3944s) And all opposed signify by saying nay. [1:05:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3947s) Nay. [1:05:47](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3947s) No. [1:05:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3948s) Can I get a- Can I get a hand vote? [1:05:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3951s) All right, we got... We're gonna, we're gonna do a hand vote. All in favor raise your hand so we can do a count. Keep your, keep them up so we can get your count. [1:06:01](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3961s) Eight, nine, 10. [1:06:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3965s) All right, 10 on the, on the amendment. All in, uh, all, all in nay raise your hand. [1:06:13](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3973s) I thought y- I thought we were friends. [1:06:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3977s) Nay. [1:06:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3977s) Look, that's why they called everybody. [1:06:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3982s) 30. [1:06:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3982s) Guys. [1:06:22](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3982s) All in nay is a 14. [1:06:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3984s) You gonna have to cancel this. [1:06:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3984s) All right, the amendment does not pass. [1:06:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3987s) Just sitting over there. [1:06:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3991s) One, two. Now it's 10. [1:06:31](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3991s) All right. All right, so now... All right, that's... All right, so now we have a motion on the bill. [1:06:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=3999s) And a second. [1:06:40](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4000s) And a second. So let go, let's go ahead and get the vote. All in favor of the bill, signify by saying aye. [1:06:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4005s) Aye. [1:06:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4006s) Aye. All opposed signify by saying nay. [1:06:49](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4009s) Nay. [1:06:50](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4010s) All right, let's g- go, let's go ahead and do a hand count. All in favor signify by r- raise your hand by saying aye. [1:06:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4016s) One, two, three- [1:06:57](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4017s) We're counting right now [1:06:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4018s) ... [1:07:02](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4022s) four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 15. [1:07:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4023s) How many? [1:07:04](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4024s) 15. [1:07:06](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4026s) 15. And all the nays please raise your hand. Let's do a count. [1:07:20](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4040s) All right. All right. Uh, we got 10 and the bill passes. All right. [1:07:24](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4044s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [1:07:28](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4048s) All right. [1:07:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4052s) Thank you. All right. The Chairman Cheokas coming back. [1:07:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4059s) Yeah. [1:07:44](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4064s) So, yeah, I'm, I'm looking at this. Okay. [1:07:53](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4073s) Okay. Thank you for the [1:07:59](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4079s) Oh, yes. That was, that was [1:08:13](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4093s) weird. That was not there to add. [1:08:18](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4098s) Ladies and gentlemen, we still haven't adjourned, and we've got a little bit more business in front of us. But I do wanna make a comment, and that was a record-breaking turnout for the- Wow. We've never had that many people show up at our small business development meeting before. So I wanna thank everyone for attending. And then, then als- [1:08:44](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4124s) We will make sure that this happens every time. [1:08:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4125s) Oh, good. Oh, good. But the other thing I wanna also point out is the vote last year was unanimous. [1:08:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4136s) Uh-huh. Yes. [1:08:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4138s) It was unanimous. But anyway, all right, we've got... If you, if you will, we're gonna get the Georgia Chamber Foundation up here for a second. Um, where is my notes? [1:09:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4152s) You take off. See you. Bye. All right, uh, uh, L- Daniella Perry, uh, the executive director of the, uh, Georgia Chamber Foundation, if you wanna come up... And there you go. She's- [1:09:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4167s) Yes. [1:09:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4167s) She's good. [1:09:28](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4168s) Good morning. Uh, my name is Daniella Perry from the Georgia Chamber Foundation. Um, we serve as the research arm for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Um, and I'm agreeing, um, appreciate the invitation for a couple of our small business members to join you all this morning and share a little bit about their experiences. So, um, without further ado, I'll turn my time over to them. So, um, we'll start with Sam Goud from Goud Management. But again, appreciate the opportunity for our members to share a little bit with you all. [1:09:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4194s) Wait, wait, wait. Come here. [1:09:57](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4197s) Oh, she's not letting them come yet. [1:09:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4198s) Yeah. Somebody want to... Yeah. [1:10:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4207s) Good morning, Mr. Chairman and, and distinguished committee members. Understand that we're short on time, so I'm gonna be very, very brief. I'm, I'm Sam Goud, and I'm the chairman and founder of Goud Management Group. We're a, uh, program management and engineering firm. We're based here in Atlanta. Been in business for 21 years. Um, we've got roughly 60 or 70 employees. We actually work all across the US, but the bulk of our work is, is here in the State of Georgia. [1:10:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4241s) We are, um, we do both probl- both private and public sector work. Uh, in the beginning, in our, the first couple of years, 100% of our work was on the private sector side. But as we, we grew, you know, of course, we diversified. And a lot of that growth was spurred on by work that we got from the, the state, most of it having to do with transportation and infrastructure work. Um, currently- Uh, roughly 65% of our revenue comes from, um, transportation and infrastructure projects. [1:11:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4277s) I'd say, uh, about 50% of our work actually comes from, uh, Georgia DOT. Uh, we... Our annual revenues, we do, uh, roughly $10 million. Uh, in 2025, we saw a slight downturn. Our revenue was down by about 6%. And, and a lot of that was due, well, actually all of it was due to just things being delayed because, um, decisions were slow being made. [1:11:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4308s) And, uh, and a lot of that had to do with the, the geopolitical stuff. Um, things that I would point out as it relates specifically to the, the State of Georgia is we absolutely appreciate you focusing on tort reform. That is extremely important to us. Um, I will tell you that, uh, e- specifically as it relates to the transportation projects with G- with, uh, GDOT, whenever there's an accident on the interstate, there's a lawsuit that is applied to every single consultant that is working on that contract. [1:12:30](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4350s) And for us, the legal fees eats away roughly 10% of our profit. It goes towards legal fees. And, and these are friv- frivolous lawsuits from where we stand because we're not directly in- involved in, in the, the cause of that accident. You know, we're not a contractor. And, uh, so we're, we're providing consultant services. So we appreciate you doing that, and we hope that you continue to do even more in that regard. [1:13:05](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4385s) Also, as it relates to the, um, the Georgia Opportunity Zones and the, the, uh, job tax credits, that's, that's huge for us, and that makes a, a, a difference to our bottom line as, as well. I would say that that probably contributes another 4% to our, our net profits. The other thing, and I, and I heard some, um, I guess, kind of, uh, alluding to the, the, um, the d- the diversity, uh, as it relates to, to small businesses. What I would, would say there, just kind of looking ahead, I know there's lots of talk about there not being, um, requirements that, that, uh, relate to race or, or sex, and I don't wanna get into that. [1:13:49](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4429s) But as that stuff is being fair- being dealt with, what I, what I would say is I don't want the requirement for, for small business participation to, to go away while that's being worked out. Because y- as I'm sure all of you know, at least 60% of the work, you know, of, of the economy is, is spurred on by small businesses. And with all of the upcoming work that's coming, uh, through as it relates to transportation and infrastructure project, I mean, just tens of billions of dollars, we wanna be sure that that requirement for small businesses continues to, to be there. [1:14:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4472s) Um, I would say that half of our revenue, uh, certainly comes from the fact that there's small business, uh, that has to be in- involved. And that's small. It doesn't have anything to do with race or, or, uh, or, uh, sex. Just small business. So, um, with that, I don't know that, um, there's anything else. Uh, if you guys got some questions for me, I would be happy to, to answer that. [1:15:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4503s) And just, just a little bit more so you know about our business, some of our, our clients other than, than GDOT. I mean, we've, um, the College Football Hall of Fame, the big addition that was done at, uh, Greater Memorial Hospital, the, the Pete Caroll addition, uh, Buckhead Atlanta, which is now Buckhead Village. We were the program managers on that for Oliver McMillan. Uh, we've done a lot of construction management work for, for developers. Uh, a- and a lot of that is what took us all across the US, Denver, Dallas, um, LA, San Francisco, Sacramento. [1:15:39](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4539s) Um, so thank you. With that, any questions, I'd be happy- [1:15:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4541s) Well, I'm gonna hold off on the questions because don't we have one more presenter? [1:15:45](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4545s) Yes, sir. [1:15:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4546s) Why don't we have the presenter, and then we can all communicate offline? [1:15:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4551s) Yeah. [1:15:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4551s) Because we've, we're going into the rules committee- [1:15:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4554s) Exactly [1:15:54](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4554s) ... and we're getting into committee time now. [1:15:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4556s) All right. [1:15:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4556s) So th- thank you for your presentation. [1:15:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4558s) Yeah. [1:15:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4558s) But stick around. [1:15:59](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4559s) Yeah. [1:15:59](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4559s) And, and now we have, uh, Dean Paul. Come on up. [1:16:12](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4572s) All right. Good morning. I appreciate that, Chairman. And, uh, committee members, my name is Dean Paul Hart. I'm the president of Compact Industries, second generation, uh, in our family business. We've been around 46 years as a Georgia manufacturer and a Georgia business. Uh, we manufacture and distribute or package, uh, our products under six different brands. So things like for babies, Baby Buddy. Uh, we're the only people that make a toothbrush with bristles 360 degrees around the head under our Brilliant Oral Care line. [1:16:43](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4603s) And then Heartfelt is our skincare line. And, um, at the end of 2024, uh, I decided to say yes to two opportunities that came that I think are important for you all to know about as you're developing small business, is that Beside the Cab, uh, and Dr. Katrina Young reached out to us and said, "Hey, we'd love to get to know your business." And then Amazon, where we're a seller, Amazon last year celebrated, uh, 25 years of allowing sellers into their store. And so we've been a seller on Amazon's platform for probably 17, 18 years. [1:17:17](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4637s) They reached out and said, "We'd like to feature sellers in your community." And we were the first Georgia company. And so when they launched the website, we were the only company for the state of Georgia, and there are more now. So we felt very privileged. But at the end of '24, we were able to go to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, meet a number of government and business leaders, and share our story As a result, twenty twenty-five meant that Decide DeKalb came in and they said, "We're gonna bring our partners." And I went, "I don't know what that means." And they said, "Yeah, but we do." So we met, uh, Georgia Tech through the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and that was able to help us as a small business look at our procurement as well as our delivery systems to Amazon to get product around the country. [1:18:03](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4683s) So we appreciate your support and your help there. Uh, furthermore, we were able to work with the Georgia Economic Dev- Development Department and the Center of Innovation, where right now we've got the first of what we hope will be many projects with the, uh, UGA capstone students. So four seniors that have studies at UGA are currently in our business working on inventory management and putting what they've got theory to practice. That's helping us as well. Um, we were also able to partner, uh, with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce through a Fiserv opportunity for us to be a member of the chamber last year to see what it means as a small business to get involved, to hear what's taking place, to go to eggs and issues, and to be a part of some things that really, in forty-five years before, we had no context of. [1:18:50](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4730s) And so this year we've re-upped as a member of the chamber. And then finally, I'd point out that, uh, we were also introduced to the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, who supports an export challenge annually. We applied. We were able to get a grant. And so we've now opened up working with Amazon Mexico. At the end of the year sent our first export, and I'm pleased to say in January we're up and selling product, but not just any product. We're selling Georgia-made, Georgia-manufactured product. Within our product line, we recognize that with a number of changes coming down the pike, but it's who we are, we've made sure that we're producing products that are made here or packaged here. [1:19:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4772s) And so briefly, I just wanna say and talk about three things. Last year when I was here, I had the opportunity to talk about the Georgia Technical College System, that there is training, and I see the need in construction for more people for HVAC and plumbing and welding and electricity. But I'd like to point out that while Georgia continues to grow as a place for Amazon, say, fulfillment centers and data centers and the growth of AI, there is a need for support in the industry of people that are being trained in how to sell on Marketplace and to support Marketplace sellers. [1:20:07](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4807s) When we sell online, we need copywriters. It's not just about us plugging into AI, but people that can tell the story. We need people that are able to build images and videos to be able to share those stories. We're getting data analytics constantly, so we need data analysts, as well as those that can run advertising to help us out. And right now, in many cases, we're going outside of the state, really outside of the country, because the training isn't here. [1:20:37](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4837s) Much of what's happening in the technical colleges are training on Google and SEO and email marketing, and I'm sorry, so much of that has gone to the wayside that the industry is changing so quickly that we need people that are at the cutting edge. And there's an opportunity, I feel like, for Georgia to stand above itself, really around the state, to offer training and certification programs that are more formalized. In my background, I'm pleased that I got my undergraduate degree here at Georgia State, but I've got two other master's degrees, and I recognize the importance of formal education. [1:21:14](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4874s) And yet informal education can move quickly and fast to get the word out. I'd love to see a formalized program whereby students and the generation that is now is able to plug in. So often we're concerned about kids being on their phone and social media, but what they're doing is they're developing tactics that really there's a place to be able to be used in business. And with the growth of AI, it's not just what's gonna take a job away, but really how do you use it? Um, Amazon, if you go on right now, you'll notice they have an AI of their own called Rufus. [1:21:48](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4908s) Walmart uses one that is Sparky that is learning your buy habits to be able to help you. From our standpoint as a business, we have to have enough data out there so that the AI will be able to pick up and speak about Georgia-made products. Otherwise, we'll lose the battle of having people overseas just write a bunch of content and things. So that's the Georgia Technical side. The Georgia Procurement side, it was interesting hearing that conversation earlier. Uh, we were able to get licensed as a small business last year with DeKalb County and to join the Department of Administrative Services at the end of the year. [1:22:23](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4943s) But currently, I can't find a way for us to be able to say, "Here's a new product. Here's something that we know will bring efficiency to bear within your space." We're able to see what contracts are out for bid, but sometimes we have a better way or something that would bring help. For example, we're about to launch a hygiene kit that'll help not just the homeless, but also within a hospital and a senior care facility to be able to care for people. Currently, to bathe someone in hospital will take a much longer time. [1:22:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=4976s) We can't find a mechanism to be able to get to the right people. So while it'll take time and we're willing to do the work, we're looking for efficiencies. And so me hearing about a bill that could come forward to improve reporting or change reporting, we're just looking for an opportunity for Georgia small businesses to be able to post, "Here's a new item that maybe the people within these categories could update and look at monthly." Rather than being swamped with emails and contacts, they would have a place to be able to say what's new from Georgia businesses to be able to support. [1:23:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5012s) And the last comment I just wanted to make, 'cause I think it's important, that twenty twenty-five was a year of tariffs, and many people worry and talk about tariffs. I wanna give you a different view, that when tariffs hit, uh, um, we were one of those companies that understood and became appreciative. Not because all of our product is made here. We import from five different countries as well. But most of the product that we're importing, we're packaging here and distributing with Georgia labor. Uh, last year I spoke about the de minimis law, that there was a rule in the law that anything under, uh, eighty dollars, eight hundred didn't need any paperwork. [1:24:08](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5048s) And for the first time, Chinese and international manufacturers were given direct access to US consumers without the need for US transportation, US distributors, and US retailers. That change took place last year and has opened opportunity. Within the five years before that, though, we lost retailer business and distributor business to companies that said, "We can get it cheaper from China or Canada." When the tariffs came in, it opened for us the opportunity to say, "We're a Georgia-made US company making the same product at a better cost many times than China. [1:24:46](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5086s) You can deal with us." For the first time, those conversations became real. As the tariff pressure released, everybody went back to, uh, status quo. So we continue to work. And I just wanted to share while you're looking and seeing things, we recognize that tariffs raise the cost of goods and it hurts the individual consumer at the end of the day. But you know what consumer can deal with a higher cost? Is the one that has a job. And we've been committed to giving Georgians jobs all the way through. We continue to work within the refugee community around Tucker and Clarkston as well. [1:25:19](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5119s) And so what you do in developing small business, it matters when we can grow a tax base, not just of our business, but it's allowing our people that work and throughout Georgia businesses to be able to put their kids through school, to be able to have something so that when costs go up, we're able to do that. But I watched when things got exported overseas and factories shut down, we all needed cheaper things because we didn't have jobs. Um, so I just want to encourage you. In 2025, I learned that Georgia was the best state to do business. [1:25:51](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5151s) Therefore, I'm glad to be a Georgian and to, uh, lead a Georgia business. Thank you so much. [1:25:56](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5156s) Thank you. [1:25:58](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5158s) Thank you. Everyone, thank you very much. Um, our, our guests are gonna stay for a few minutes, so, and I have a lot of questions myself, so I appreciate, uh, uh, yeah. Daniella, I appreciate you bringing the, these very interesting and innovative, uh, entrepreneurs to, to our, to our meeting. This, uh, was a great program. I'm sorry it took so long. We had the other stuff going on. But, uh, stick around because we're gonna have some questions, but meeting adjourned. Thanks. Thanks. [1:26:27](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5187s) Thank you. [1:26:29](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5189s) Sir, thank you for that TED Talk. [1:26:32](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5192s) That was actually really [1:26:41](https://vimeo.com/1159400775#t=5201s) good.