Pursuant to the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, Sec. 1216(c), Pub. L. 101-73, 103 Stat. 183, 529 (12 U.S.C. 1833e(c)) and consistent with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), this subpart establishes the OCC Minority- , Women- , and Individuals with Disabilities-Owned Business Contracting Outreach Program (Outreach Program). The Outreach Program is intended to ensure that firms owned and operated by minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to participate, to the maximum extent possible, in all contracting activities of the OCC.

(a) Minority- and/or women-owned (small and large) businesses and entities owned by minorities and women (MWOB) means firms at least 51 percent unconditionally-owned by one or more members of a minority group or by one or more women who are citizens of the United States. In the case of publicly-owned companies, at least 51 percent of each class of voting stock must be unconditionally-owned by one or more members of a minority group or by one or more women who are citizens of the United States. In the case of a partnership, at least 51 percent of the partnership interest must be unconditionally-owned by one or more members of a minority group or by one or more women who are citizens of the United States. Additionally, for the foregoing cases, the management and daily business operations must be controlled by one or more such individuals.

(b) Minority means any African American, Native American (i.e., American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut and Native Hawaiian), Hispanic American, Asian-Pacific American, or Subcontinent-Asian American.

(c) Individual with disabilities-owned (small and large) businesses and entities owned by individuals with disabilities (IDOB) means firms at least 51 percent unconditionally-owned by one or more members who are individuals with disabilities and citizens of the United States. In the case of publicly-owned companies, at least 51 percent of each class of voting stock must be unconditionally-owned by one or more members who are individuals with disabilities and who are citizens of the United States. In the case of a partnership, at least 51 percent of the partnership interest must be unconditionally-owned by one or more members who are individuals with disabilities and citizens of the United States. Additionally, for the foregoing cases, the management and daily business operations must be controlled by one or more such individuals.

(d) Individual with disabilities means any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. For purposes of this part, it does not include an individual who is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs nor an individual who has a currently contagious disease or infection and who, by reason of such disease or infection, would constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or who, by reason of the currently contagious disease or infection, is unable to perform the duties of the job as defined by the IDOB.

(e) Unconditional ownership means ownership that is not subject to conditions or similar arrangements which cause the benefits of the Outreach Program to accrue to persons other than the participating MWOB or IDOB.

The OCC's policy is to ensure that MWOBs and IDOBs have the opportunity to participate, to the maximum extent possible, in contracts awarded by the OCC. The OCC awards contracts consistent with the principles of full and open competition and best value acquisition, and with the concept of contracting for agency needs at the lowest practicable cost. The OCC ensures that MWOBs and IDOBs have the opportunity to participate fully in all contracting activities that the OCC enters into for goods and services, whether generated by the headquarters office in Washington, DC, or any other office of the OCC. Contracting opportunities may include small purchase awards, contracts above the small purchase threshold, and delivery orders issued against other governmental agency contracts.

(a) Scope. The OCC, under the direction of the Deputy Comptroller for Resource Management, engages in promotion and outreach activities designed to identify MWOBs and IDOBs capable of providing goods and services needed by the OCC, to facilitate interaction between the OCC and the MWOBs and IDOBs community, and to indicate the OCC's commitment to doing business with that community. The Outreach Program is designed to facilitate OCC's participation in business promotion events sponsored by other government agencies and attended by minorities, women and individuals with disabilities. Once the OCC has identified a prospective participant, it will assist the minority- or women-owned business or individual with disabilities-owned business in understanding the OCC's needs and contracting process.

(b) Outreach activities. OCC's Outreach Program includes the following:

(1) Obtaining various lists and directories of MWOBs and IDOBs maintained by government agencies;

(2) Contacting appropriate firms for participation in the OCC's Outreach Program;

(3) Participating in business promotion events comprised of or attended by MWOBs and IDOBs to explain OCC contracting opportunities and to obtain names of potential MWOBs and IDOBs;

(4) Ensuring that the OCC contracting staff understands and actively promotes this Outreach Program; and

(5) Registering MWOBs and IDOBs in the Department of the Treasury's database to facilitate their participation in the competitive procurement process for OCC contracts. This database is used by OCC procurement staff to identify firms to be solicited for OCC procurements.

(a) Objective. To preserve the integrity and foster the Outreach Program's objectives, each prospective MWOB or IDOB must demonstrate that it meets the ownership and control requirements for participation in the Outreach Program.

(b) MWOB. A prospective MWOB may demonstrate its eligibility for participation in the Outreach Program by:

(1) Submitting a valid MWOB certification received from another government agency whose definition of MWOB is substantially similar to that specified in § 4.62(a);

(2) Self-certifying MWOB ownership status by filing with the OCC a completed and signed certification form as prescribed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation, 48 CFR 53.301-129; or

(3) Submitting a valid MWOB certification received from the Small Business Administration.

(c) IDOB. A prospective IDOB may demonstrate its eligibility for participation in the Outreach Program by:

(1) Submitting a valid IDOB certification received from another government agency whose definition of IDOB is substantially similar to that specified in § 4.62(c); or

(2) Self-certifying IDOB ownership status by filing with the OCC a completed and signed certification as prescribed in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, 48 CFR 53.301-129, and adding an additional certifying statement to read as follows:

The Deputy Comptroller for Resource Management shall appoint an Outreach Program Manager, who shall appoint an Outreach Program Specialist. The Outreach Program Manager is primarily responsible for program advocacy, oversight and monitoring.