ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs presented three Frederick small businesses leaders with a Governor’s Citation during its signature Ready, Set, GROW! Procurement Connections Workshop today, held at the Frederick Community College in collaboration with city and county officials. Nearly 70 small business owners and entrepreneurs attended the event.
“The Frederick area hosts a large portion of Maryland’s small business community and we are thrilled to award local businesses who are leading the way,” said Jimmy Rhee, special secretary of the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs. “We are also thrilled to offer resources to small businesses to help them navigate the public procurement process and master the skills necessary to compete with confidence as they seek prime and subcontracting opportunities in the public sector.”
Maryland is open for business, and the Ready, Set, GROW! Procurement Connections Workshop provides small business owners with insightful tips for navigating the government purchasing process. Buyers from eight state agencies, as well as the City of Frederick, Fredrick County government, and Frederick Community College’s purchasing units, shared details on what they are buying right now and what is in the pipeline. Participants were able to identify which buyers would be a good fit, then meet with them during the open networking session.
“Frederick is home to 3,500 small businesses,” said Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor. “I am thrilled to have the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority and Women Business Affairs team up with our economic development office to strengthen our local businesses by connecting them to buyers at the city, county, and state levels.”
During the event, three local business leaders received a Governor’s Citation for their personal and professional contributions to the Frederick community. The recipients are: Adissa Barry of TEI Electrical Solutions; Sue Hough of Octavo Design; and Jason Lee of Lee Building Maintenance.
The workshop also included a video message from Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Maryland’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program. This procurement program offers opportunities for minority, women, and veteran-owned firms to participate in state-funded contracts.
“Maryland is currently ranked first in the nation for minority and women business ownership, and last year over $1 billion was awarded to MBE firms who are creating jobs, strengthening the private sector, and contributing to our statewide economy,” said Rhee. “As we celebrate this milestone, it’s no wonder our MBE Program is recognized as the national gold standard.”