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Governor's Office of Minority Affairs
Small Business Bulletin - February 2017
Message from the Secretary
Every February we celebrate Black History Month (also known as African American History Month), an event that has a history of its own thanks to Carter G. Woodson, PhD. He founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc., and is known as the "Father of Black History." He illuminated the idea that black history is about much more than the subjugation of slavery, and brought awareness to the significant impact African American's have had on the social, political, and economic development of the United States and the world. In 1926 Dr. Woodson initiated Negro History Week to correspond with the February birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976 the celebration was expanded to the entire month of February. The advancement of civil rights impacts all of us, regardless of our ethnic, social or economic background. Please take advantage of the many events happening throughout our communities as we celebrate Black History Month.

Jimmy Rhee
Special Secretary
For Your Business
Small Business Bill Tracker
The Maryland General Assembly may look at as many as 4,000 bills this year.  With only 90 days to get it all done, things in Annapolis are moving at a fast pace. We're watching all legislation that impacts the small business community, and we've carved out a special page on our website to make it easy for you to follow along. Visit our Bill Tracker often and stay connected to issues that may have a direct impact on your small business. The page includes a link to help you locate your elected officials.

Manufacturing Growth in Maryland
Maryland is open for business and manufacturing is on the rise. In fact, the manufacturing sector grew faster than any other sector in the state in 2016, and we're ranked 8th in the nation for the rate of manufacturing growth. This is a trend we all want to see continue. Organizations like the Regional Manufacturing Institute (RMI) are keeping the momentum going. RMI is a non-profit association that represents the manufacturing industry, and provides programs, services, and advocacy to manufacturers statewide. Check out RMI's upcoming events to see what opportunities may exist for your company in the manufacturing industry.
Regional Manufacturing Institute

New Fund Targets Minority-owned Tech Companies
The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) and The Harbor Bank of Maryland have launched a pilot program to provide pre-seed capital and mentorship to underrepresented tech entrepreneurs in Maryland. The Minority Business Pre-Seed Fund (MBPF) is designed to grow entrepreneurship in minority communities with the goal of fueling innovation and economic development throughout the state. The $22 million awarded to start-ups through TEDCO has resulted in $1 billion in follow-on funding. Harbor Bank views the partnership as a continuation of its efforts to broaden the resources available to African-American tech entrepreneurs.  TEDCO plans to begin accepting applications for the MBPF Program on March 1, 2017.
 
Check out our full range of small, minority, and women
business resources at goma.maryland.gov. 
Small Business Events
Most business development takes place outside the office. We maintain a robust calendar of events on our website, which is updated all the time, so be sure to check it often. Here are a few upcoming events:

 

3/14/2017 - Ready, Set, GROW! with Special Guest First Lady Yumi Hogan

3/23/2017 - Meet the Buyers (Baltimore County Purchasing Division)

 
Maryland is OPEN for Business, and the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs empowers small, minority, and women businesses to compete with confidence in the public and private sectors. Visit our website at www.goma.maryland.gov to learn more.

Governor's Office of Minority Affairs, 100 Community Place, Crownsville, MD 21032


For Your Business
Procurement Modernization Report
Maryland is open for business and the Hogan administration has recently completed a review of the codes and regulations that govern our statewide procurement system. The Report of the Commission to Modernize State Procurement has 57 recommendations to modernize the state procurement system by utilizing technology, simplifying the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, and providing better training to state personnel and the companies that want to do business with the state. Highlights include:
  • Creating a standardized RFP template for all service, IT, architecture & engineering, and construction contracts
  • Giving procurement officers more discretion to negotiate certain contract clauses
  • Upgrading eMaryland Marketplace
  • Expanding the Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program to apply to all state agencies
  • Raising the SBR statewide goal from 10 percent to 15 percent
  • Creating a procurement manual and training curriculum
As Governor Hogan reviews the recommendations, the state unveiled an online communications portal at procurement.maryland.gov to provide 24/7 access to Maryland procurement information.
"Modernizing our procurement process is vital to running a transparent, accountable, and fiscally-responsible state government," said Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, who chairs the commission. "Once implemented, these recommendations will benefit Maryland for years to come by increasing competition for contracts, lowering transaction costs, and improving the professional development of our state procurement workforce."

Advocacy
The 90-day session of the Maryland General Assembly gets underway on January 11, 2017. The 47 senators and 141 delegates of this legislative body will consider about 2,500 pieces of proposed legislation and pass the state's annual capital and operating budgets. Many of the decisions they make will affect your business, so get engaged in the legislative process and be your own advocate. Check out these tips for how your business can be represented through grassroots advocacy.

Speak the Right Language
Public sector contracting has a language all its own. If you want to succeed in this competitive market, you need to speak the same language used by procurement officers and buyers. IFB, RFP, BAFO, ID/IQ, FOB - what does it all mean? Our Public Purchasing Fact Sheet is a great resource for small business owners who are new to this market or those who want to brush-up.

 
Check out our full range of small, minority, and women
business resources at goma.maryland.gov. 


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