§4–501.1.

    (a)    The Department shall attempt to use to the greatest extent feasible minority business enterprises to provide brokerage and investment management services to the Department for the funds established under this subtitle consistent with minority business purchasing standards applicable to units of State government under the State Finance and Procurement Article and consistent with the fiduciary duties of the Department.

    (b)    For purposes of this section, brokerage and investment management services shall include services relating to all allocated asset classes.

    (c)    (1)    To assist the Department in achieving the goal described under subsection (a) of this section, the Department shall undertake measures to remove any barriers that limit full participation by minority business enterprises in brokerage and investment management services opportunities afforded by the Department for the funds established under this subtitle.

        (2)    The measures undertaken by the Department shall include the use of a wide variety of media, including the Department’s website, to provide notice to a broad and varied range of potential providers about the brokerage and investment management services opportunities afforded by the Department for the funds established under this subtitle.

    (d)    In conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs, the Department shall develop guidelines to assist it in identifying and evaluating qualified minority business enterprises in order to help the Department achieve the objective for greater use of minority business enterprises for brokerage and investment management services for the funds established under this subtitle.

    (e)    On or before September 1 each year, the Department shall submit a report to the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs and, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on:

        (1)    the identity of the minority business enterprise brokerage and investment management services firms used by the Department in the immediately preceding fiscal year;

        (2)    the percentage and dollar value of the assets in the funds established under this subtitle that are under the investment control of minority business enterprise brokerage and investment management services firms in each allocated asset class; and

        (3)    the measures the Department undertook in the immediately preceding fiscal year in accordance with subsection (c)(2) of this section.