Thank you to Sheila McDonald and her many years of experience as the Executive Secretary of the Board of Public Works; Comptroller Franchot, Treasurer Kopp, Sec. Collins, Special Sec. Jenkins and Matt Gallagher and Tom Hickey in the Governor’s office.
Thank you all for welcoming me to open this morning’s conference.
And thank you for your public service. The work you do every day is often thankless, but it shouldn’t be. Your devotion and commitment is one of the driving forces of our growing economy.
State procurement contracts create $5 billion of business in Maryland, most of which stays right here in the State.
This conference is an important opportunity for you—Maryland’s Procurement Professionals—to come together and ask some essential questions:
Are we doing everything we can to open the doors of opportunity to all Marylanders?
Are we meeting our own expectations to best serve the people of Maryland?
What can we do to enhance and expand and improve upon our strengths?
When Governor O’Malley and I came into office earlier this year, we set a goal to change the culture of State government and that change includes expanding opportunities for small and minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
We recognize that small business and minority-owned business is the big business in Maryland.
Nearly half of our workforce is employed by one of our 450,000 small businesses and our State has a higher percentage of women-owned and African American-owned businesses than any other state.
We’re embracing the contributions our local companies make to the economy and your work continues to open new doors of opportunity.
Last year, in fact, you helped invest $1 billion in Minority Business Enterprise companies.
However, we can do more.
Between 2000 and 2004, minority firms comprised nearly 30 percent of all available firms in the local marketplace, yet received less than 15 percent of the contract dollars awarded by the State.
We need to remember Secretary Jenkins’ own words that MBE stands for More Business for Everyone.
We must meet—no, we must exceed the 25 percent MBE goal in every state agency every year.
And it’s you, the Procurement Professionals, who will make that difference.
I look forward to the day Governor O’Malley calls me after a BPW meeting with the news that we’ve met our goals because I know it will have come from your hard work and devoted public service.
And I know that day is not far away.
Before I leave this morning, I want to take an opportunity to thank Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot.
Maryland enjoys the benefit of a constitutional board like the Board of Public Works. Far too few states have a similar apparatus of transparency and accountability.
And we’re truly privileged to have leaders like Treasurer Kopp and Comptroller Franchot working with Governor O’Malley, to ensure that the taxpayers’ dollars are being put to good use and that Maryland is meeting the ambitious goals we set.
You both, along with Governor O’Malley, are Maryland’s leading agents of change—the captains of Maryland’s procurement team. We all thank you for your devoted service.
Thank you all very much. Please enjoy today’s conference—you have a wonderful program to look forward to—and continue the great service you provide for all Marylanders.