1. A. When used in these regulations, the following terms shall have meanings as set forth below.

   1. Certification―the determination that a business qualifies for designation as a small and emerging business.
   2. Deputy Secretary―the deputy secretary of Louisiana Economic Development.
   3. Deputy Undersecretary―the deputy undersecretary of Louisiana Economic Development.
   4. Firm―a business that has been certified as small and emerging.
   5. Full-Time―working in the firm at least 20 hours per week.
   6. Louisiana Economic Development (LED)―formerly Department of Economic Development.
   7. Program―the Small and Emerging Business Development Program in the Department of Economic Development.
   8. RFP―request for proposal.
   9. Secretary―the Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development.
   10. Small and Emerging Business (SEB)—a small business organized for profit and performing a commercially useful function which is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more small and emerging business persons and for which the principal business operations of the business are located in Louisiana including Louisiana as the primary place of employment for the employees of the business. A nonprofit organization is not a small and emerging business for purposes of this Chapter.
   11. Small and Emerging Business Person—a citizen or legal resident of the United States who has resided in Louisiana for at least 12 consecutive months and whose ability to compete in the free enterprise system has been impaired due to diminished capital and credit opportunities as compared to others in the same or similar line of business, and whose diminished opportunities have precluded, or are likely to preclude, such individual from successfully competing in the open market.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 51:942.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Economic Development, Office of the Secretary, Division of Economically Disadvantaged Business Development, LR 23:50 (January 1997), amended LR 24:430 (March 1998), amended by the Department of Economic Development, Office of Business Development, LR 29:542 (April 2003), LR 30:753 (April 2004), LR 33:2030 (October 2007), LR 36:51(January 2010), amended by Louisiana Economic Development, Office of Economic Development, LR 51:1864 (November 2025).