Section 316 - [Expires 12/31/2024] Enforcement1. Upon receipt by the director of a complaint by a contracting agency that a contractor has violated the provisions of a state contract which have been included to comply with the provisions of this article or of a contractor that a contracting agency has violated such provisions or has failed or refused to issue a waiver where one has been applied for pursuant to subdivision six of section three hundred thirteen of this article or has denied such application, the director shall attempt to resolve the matter giving rise to such complaint. If efforts to resolve such matter to the satisfaction of all parties are unsuccessful, the director shall refer the matter, within thirty days of the receipt of the complaint, to the division's hearing officers. Upon conclusion of the administrative hearing, the hearing officer shall submit to the director his or her decision regarding the alleged violation of the contract and recommendations regarding the imposition of sanctions, fines or penalties. The director, within ten days of receipt of the decision, shall file a determination of such matter and shall cause a copy of such determination along with a copy of this article to be served upon the contractor by personal service or by certified mail return receipt requested. The decision of the hearing officer shall be final and may only be vacated or modified as provided in article seventy-eight of the civil practice law and rules upon an application made within the time provided by such article. The determination of the director as to the imposition of any fines, sanctions or penalties shall be reviewable pursuant to article seventy-eight of the civil practice law and rules. The penalties imposed for any violation which is premised upon either a fraudulent or intentional misrepresentation by the contractor or the contractor's willful and intentional disregard of the minority and women-owned participation requirement included in the contract may include a determination that the contractor shall be ineligible to submit a bid to any contracting agency or be awarded any such contract for a period not to exceed one year following the final determination; provided however, if a contractor has previously been determined to be ineligible to submit a bid pursuant to this section, the penalties imposed for any subsequent violation, if such violation occurs within five years of the first violation, may include a determination that the contractor shall be ineligible to submit a bid to any contracting agency or be awarded any such contract for a period not to exceed five years following the final determination. The division of minority and women's business development shall maintain a website listing all contractors that have been deemed ineligible to submit a bid pursuant to this section and the date after which each contractor shall once again become eligible to submit bids.2. Any fines, or portion thereof, imposed pursuant to the foregoing subdivision, or imposed by a court of competent jurisdiction related to convictions involving fraud related to this article or otherwise involving a minority or women-owned business enterprise, may be required by the entity imposing such fines to be paid to the minority and women-owned business enterprise fund established pursuant to section ninety-seven-k of the state finance law.Amended by New York Laws 2023, ch. 40,Sec. 5, eff. 3/3/2023.Amended by New York Laws 2022, ch. 567,Sec. 4, eff. 4/4/2023.