Colombia: public tender offers primarily awarded to businesses employing disabled workers

Positive action for employers.  Now, private sector companies seeking to sign a public contract will be subject to the resolution adopted on February 27 by the Ministry of Labor, giving precedence to entities employing the largest number of disabled people.  This will apply in the event of equivalent offers, to decide between the competing firms.  This measure affects all institutions answering to the central and decentralized administration, including regional entities and city councils.  Labor Minister Rafael Pardo explained that this text aimed to transpose the Constitutional Court’s ruling of September 14, 2011.  Indeed, this ruling enforces Act 361 of 1997 providing for guarantees for people with a disability, allowing them to have faire access to public contracts.  This measure translates into the positive action adopted by the Minister of Labor for the companies employing disabled people.