House Bill 1713

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1713

        By Representative Bush






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to Enterprise Florida, Inc.;

  3         amending s. 288.9510, F.S.; providing

  4         legislative intent; amending s. 288.9515, F.S.;

  5         adding to the powers of the technology

  6         development board within Enterprise Florida,

  7         Inc.; providing an effective date.

  8

  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Section 288.9510, Florida Statutes is

12  amended to read:

13         288.9510  Legislative intent.--It is the intent of the

14  Legislature to establish a public-private partnership to be

15  known as Enterprise Florida Innovation Partnership to provide

16  leadership and market-driven, performance-based economic

17  development tools to create the diverse cross section of

18  innovation-driven firms that is essential to a competitive

19  economy in this state, characterized by better employment

20  opportunities leading to higher wages. The Legislature intends

21  that Enterprise Florida Innovation Partnership participate in

22  the development of minority businesses. The Legislature

23  recognizes that the policies, institutions, and programs that

24  govern the relationships between university researchers and

25  private industry affect the rate of commercialization in this

26  state.

27         Section 2.  Subsection (1) of section 288.9515, Florida

28  Statutes, is amended to read:

29         288.9515  Authorized programs of technology development

30  board.--

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1713

    544-151-99






  1         (1)  The board may create a technology applications

  2  service, to be called the Florida Innovation Alliance. The

  3  Florida Innovation Alliance shall serve as an umbrella

  4  organization for technology applications service providers

  5  throughout the state which provide critical, managerial,

  6  technological, scientific, and related financial and business

  7  expertise essential for international and domestic

  8  competitiveness to small-sized and medium-sized manufacturing

  9  and knowledge-based service firms. The board has is authorized

10  the following powers in order to carry out the functions of

11  the Florida Innovation Alliance:

12         (a)  Providing communication and coordination services

13  among technology applications service providers throughout the

14  state.

15         (b)  Providing coordinated marketing services to

16  small-sized and medium-sized manufacturers in the state on

17  behalf of, and in partnership with, technology applications

18  service providers.

19         (c)  Securing additional sources of funds on behalf of,

20  and in partnership with, technology applications service

21  providers.

22         (d)  Developing plans and policies to assist

23  small-sized and medium-sized manufacturing companies or other

24  knowledge-based firms in Florida.

25         (e)  Entering into contracts with technology

26  applications service providers for expanded availability of

27  high-quality assistance to small-sized and medium-sized

28  manufacturing companies or knowledge-based service firms,

29  including, but not limited to, technological, human resources

30  development, market planning, finance, and interfirm

31  collaboration.  The board shall ensure that all contracts in

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1713

    544-151-99






  1  excess of $20,000 for the delivery of such assistance to

  2  Florida firms shall be based on competitive requests for

  3  proposals.  The board shall establish clear standards for the

  4  delivery of services under such contracts.  Such standards

  5  include, but are not limited to:

  6         1.  The ability and capacity to deliver services in

  7  sufficient quality and quantity.

  8         2.  The ability and capacity to deliver services in a

  9  timely manner.

10         3.  The ability and capacity to meet the needs of firms

11  in the proposed market area.

12         (f)  Assisting other educational institutions,

13  enterprises, or the entities providing business assistance to

14  small-sized and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises.

15         (g)  Establishing a system to evaluate the

16  effectiveness and efficiency of Florida Innovation Alliance

17  services provided to small-sized and medium-sized enterprises.

18         (h)  Establishing special education and informational

19  programs for Florida enterprises and for educational

20  institutions and enterprises providing business assistance to

21  Florida enterprises.

22         (i)  Evaluating and documenting the needs of firms in

23  this state for technology application services, and developing

24  means to ensure that these needs are met, consistent with the

25  powers provided for in this subsection.

26         (j)  Maintaining an office in such place or places as

27  the board recommends and the board of directors of Enterprise

28  Florida, Inc., approves.

29         (k)  Making and executing contracts with any person,

30  enterprise, educational institution, association, or any other

31  entity necessary or convenient for the performance of its

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1713

    544-151-99






  1  duties and the exercise of the board's powers and functions

  2  under this subsection.

  3         (l)  Receiving funds from any source to carry out the

  4  purposes of the Florida Innovation Alliance, including, but

  5  not limited to, gifts or grants from any department, agency,

  6  or instrumentality of the United States or of the state, or

  7  any enterprise or person, for any purpose consistent with the

  8  provisions of the Florida Innovation Alliance.

  9         (m)  Acquiring or selling, conveying, leasing,

10  exchanging, transferring, or otherwise disposing of the

11  alliance's property or interest therein.

12         (n)  Providing programs and initiatives to foster the

13  development of minority business enterprises.

14         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

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17                          SENATE SUMMARY

18    Provides legislative intent that Enterprise Florida
      Innovation Partnership participate in the development of
19    minority businesses. Provides that the technology
      development board within Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall
20    provide programs and initiatives to foster the
      development of minority business enterprises.
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