马州政府中小商业信息简报7月号Governor's Office of Minority Affairs Small Business Bulletin - July 2016 Message from the Secretary Too many of Maryland's small businesses don't know about the Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program, so my team and I here at the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs are working hard to spread the good word. The SBR is a race- and gender-neutral program that creates an exclusive environment where small businesses compete against other small businesses. SBR awards give small business the opportunity to perform as a prime contractor and build a solid record of past performance that can be leveraged for bigger and better opportunities in the future. Twenty-three agencies participate in this program and are mandated to set aside 10% of their total spend for the SBR Program. This is a great time to be an SBR vendor as Maryland's agencies are looking for every opportunity to bring Governor Hogan's "Maryland OPEN for Business" initiative to life. Registration takes place online in about 20 minutes. If you are not a registered SBR vendor, please visit the SBR Program page on our website to learn more about this great program and sign up today. Jimmy Rhee Special Secretary For Your Business Get to Know Your Small Business Advocate Believe it or not, the state's Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program has been in effect for almost 14 years and is now a permanent part of our procurement process. Just as with the Minority Business Enterprise Program, each of the 23 designated SBR agencies has a liaison who is responsible for ensuring that all procurements that lend themselves to small business participation, large or small, are actually set aside so that only small businesses may respond and be awarded those contracts. The SBR liaison also has advance notice of their organization's future contracting needs and is therefore a person that you want to connect with on a regular basis. So how do you know who these liaisons are? You can contact the agency's procurement office, or better yet, CLICK HERE to download the entire listing from our website. If for any reason you are unable to make this important connection, please contact our office directly at 410-767-8232. Access to Capital Money does not grow on trees. Just ask a small business owner! But if you're a small business owner who is looking for short-term gap financing and your business is located in a sustainable community in Maryland, you should take a look at the Neighborhood BusinessWork's loan program. This program is available to new or expanding small businesses and nonprofit organizations whose activities contribute to a broader revitalization effort. Funds available through this program can be used for new construction, rehabilitation, equipment, machinery, real estate acquisitions and much more. Visit the Department of Housing and Community Development website for details or call 301-429-7400 and speak with a member of their small business lending team. Commercial Non-Discrimination Policy We're glad Maryland has a policy prohibiting commercial non-discrimination. That means we won't enter into a contract with a business entity that has discriminated in the solicitation, selection, hiring, or commercial treatment of vendors, suppliers, subcontractors, or commercial customers on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, gender/sex, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or marital status. Harassment and retaliation are also prohibited. Click here to learn more about Maryland's commercial non-discrimination policy. Technical Training Suggestions Wanted We're constantly being asked to help small businesses learn more about the state contracting arena. Now that our offices have moved to a location with a training room, we're eager to put together some classes that will help you compete with confidence. So...what do you want? What kind of technical training classes will help you be more competitive in the state contracting arena? Please send your ideas tosocialmedia.goma@maryland.gov. We have some ideas in mind, but we really want to be sure we are meeting your needs, so please take a few minutes to send us your ideas today! Mark Your Calendar Most business development takes place outside of the office. Check out the calendar of events on our website. Here are a few upcoming events. July 13th - How to Become an 8(a) Company July 21st - Making the Sale August 25th - Endless Referrals: The True Art of Prospecting Maryland is OPEN for Businesses, 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 atwww.goma.maryland.gov to learn more. |