38A:3-2m Efforts to eliminate barriers to investment, growth.

4. The Military and Defense Economic Ombudsman shall undertake specific efforts to eliminate barriers to investment and growth by businesses and the defense industry in this State. In this endeavor, the ombudsman shall:

a. act as the contact person for private businesses and industries for projects related to, supporting, and impacting the State's military installations, regardless of the size of the business or investment, during the permit approval and application process, to facilitate and advocate on behalf of the applicant with each appropriate State government department or agency, in a manner similar to the process established under P.L.2011, c.34 (C.52:14B-26 et seq.);

b. in collaboration with any governmental or non-profit entity, undertake a targeted marketing campaign highlighting the economic growth sectors in the State's defense industry, including, but not limited to, aerospace, information technology, cyber security, biotechnology, bioscience, and engineering;

c. make available information to federal contractors, improve access to that information, and foster relationships among the State, local, and federal stakeholders;

d. establish a New Jersey Procurement Partnership Program to facilitate mentorship relations between smaller and larger companies; conduct procurement seminars; identify federal resources and make them readily accessible; and take advantage of available opportunities to create industry clusters around the State's military installations;

e. promote the State's military installations by organizing Military Installation Resources for Growth events at each installation, thereby providing an opportunity for business, governmental, and community stakeholders and partners to meet and learn about current and emerging economic development and other opportunities at each installation; and

f. in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, foster synergies between institutions of higher education and the defense industry in this State, which may include, but shall not be limited to, developing a centralized database of higher education faculty contacts, their research areas, patented technologies, research centers and their facilities and equipment, and published academic articles, provided the database shall not include any information of a sensitive or classified nature or other information that may compromise the security of any person or institution of higher education.

L.2017, c.359, s.4.