The Department of Finance and Administration shall make commercially reasonable efforts to place out for bid, such that Mississippi Contractors and Mississippi Disadvantaged Business Enterprises ('DBEs') shall have an equal opportunity to respond to such bid, any contract by the department which (a) is subject to tax pursuant to Section 27-65-21 (i.e., contracts for constructing, building, erecting, grading, excavating, etc.), and (b) will be paid, or payment thereunder by the department will be reimbursed, using any portion of the funds in the Capitol Complex Improvement District Project Fund created in Section 29-5-215. In carrying out such efforts, in order to increase the pool of qualified DBE bidders, the department will request that successful prime contract bidders include in their response a commitment to (a) participate in and/or host forums that highlight subcontract bidding opportunities for DBEs; and (b) work with various trade associations and the Mississippi Development Authority to promote increased participation from DBEs.Added by Laws, 2017, ch. 444, HB 1226, 4, eff. 7/1/2017.