(Washington, DC) The Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) has experienced significant change over the last 18 months, beginning with the passage of the Small, Local and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Development and Assistance Act of 2005, DC Official Code § 2-218.01 et seq. (hereinafter the "Act"). This Act made significant changes to the laws affecting the Local, Small, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (LSDBE) program and mandated the conversion of the Office of Local Business Development into a full-fledged Department with new programmatic areas. Since the Act became effective in October 2005, there have been a number of clarifying and substantive amendments to the statute.