Directs the Office of Historically Underutilized Businesses of the Department of Administration, in conjunction with the Department of Commerce, The University of North Carolina, and the State Board of Community Colleges, to develop and implement an initiative to enhance public awareness of North Carolina's Historically Underutilized Business Program. Appropriates $1 million to the Office of Historically Underutilized Businesses from the General Fund in nonrecurring funds for the 2016-17 fiscal year to pay for advertising and the development and production of educational materials as part of the initiative developed to enhance public awareness of North Carolina's Historically Underutilized Business Program.  

Amends GS 143-48.4, concerning the statewide uniform certification of historically underutilized businesses, by adding the administration of a program for  the identification and recruitment of potential historically underutilized businesses for certification, the provision of assistance to potential historically underutilized businesses in the certification process, and the provision of assistance to historically underutilized businesses with bid preparation, to the specified powers, authority, and duties of the Secretary of Administration (Secretary). Requires the entities specified in subsection (b), with whom the Secretary is required to seek input from in determining the qualifications and criteria for statewide uniform certification of historically underutilized business, to also assist the Secretary in the Secretary's efforts to identify and recruit potential historically underutilized businesses for certification.  Makes technical changes.

Amends GS 143-128.4, concerning statewide uniform certification of historically underutilized business by adding the same additional power and duties of the Secretary that were added in GS 143-48.4, as amended.  In addition, requires the specified entities to also assist the Secretary in the Secretary's efforts to identify and recruit potential historically underutilized businesses for certification, in the same way as GS 143-48.4, as amended.  Makes technical changes.

Directs the Office of Historically Underutilized Businesses (Office) to create a mentoring program to assist historically underutilized businesses in navigating current economic challenges, and requires the Office to report the following information to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government, no later than November 1, 2016: (1) which method or methods the Office determined would be most effective at assisting historically underutilized businesses: internships, apprenticeships, networking programs, job training programs, and other programs, and (2) potential costs and benefits of each type of mentoring.

Effective July 1, 2016.