Governor Martin O'Malley Launches Initiative to Support, Enhance Minority and Women-Owned Businesses in Maryland
Governor to address the state of minority business enterprises in Maryland
GREENBELT, MD (December 1, 2009) –Today, Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown launched “MBE University,” an initiative to support Maryland’s minority- and women-owned businesses and to highlight the state’s MBE program. MBE University will serve as a traveling conference throughout Maryland to offer training, opportunities, and information on the tools necessary for minority or woman-owned businesses to expand, create jobs, and thrive even in difficult economic times. Today’s launch in Prince George’s County focused on connecting minority and women-owned firms with opportunities for government procurement opportunities, attracting more than 300 interested attendees to the event.
“Maryland is home to a rich and diverse community of 250,000 minority and women-owned enterprises that employ hundreds of thousands of Marylanders and serve as the economic engine that will drive Maryland’s recovery,” said Governor O’Malley. “MBE University will provide access to information, jobs and job creation opportunities, and vital resources that will allow them to remain competitive and prosperous, especially during these tough economic times.”
As part of today’s conference, Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown participated in a roundtable discussion with small business owners to address challenges and opportunities of doing business in Maryland, creating jobs, and expanding business even in difficult economic times.
“By opening new doors for Maryland’s innovative and dedicated small and minority-owned businesses, we are strengthening our workforce and making an important investment in our future. Governor O’Malley and I are committed to expanding opportunity to more Marylanders,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “Initiatives like MBE University will ensure that our great State remains well-positioned to not only weather this economic recession, but also thrive for years to come.”
Participants had the opportunity to attend workshops that provided information on contracting with the State as an MBE, response procedures for bid solicitations, and the state MBE certification process. Attendees also learned about upcoming bid opportunities, access to capital including opportunities created by the federal Recovery Act, MBE related laws, and federal contracting. MBE University’s private sector partners, Pepco and Verizon, also hosted workshops on how to do business with their organizations.
“Under the leadership of Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown, Maryland continues to maintain its national reputation as a leader in MBE,” said Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs Special Secretary Luwanda Jenkins. “MBE University is a vehicle that will not only enhance our outreach efforts, but will also allow us to use our leverage to create opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses in the private sector.”
Maryland is home to the oldest MBE program in the nation, and it has established the highest minority- and women-owned business contracting goals in the nation at 25 percent. In addition, Maryland is one of only 15 states in the nation with MBE goals and one of only 4 states with an MBE law in statute. Maryland remains the only state in the nation to collect uniform reporting data including actual payments to MBEs.
In Fiscal Year 2009, Maryland state agencies achieved 22 percent MBE participation, the highest in recorded history, up from 20 percent in the previous year. These include over $1.6 billion in awards to MBE firms, an increase of 23 percent in one year and more than double the amount of MBE contracts awarded four years ago.
“MBE University” was created in collaboration with the State’s minority business coordinating agencies and the Governor’s Office. Coordinating agencies include the Department of Business and Economic Development, the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs, the Department of General Services, and the Governor’s Grants Office. Today’s conference is the first in a series that will be offered around the State continuing into next year.
For more information on the MBE University Initiative, contact the Governor’s Office at 410-767-8232 or visit www.mdminoritybusiness.com.
