Montgomery County Office of Procurement Launches Veteran Business Preference Program

The Montgomery County Office of Procurement launched a Veteran Business Preference Program (VBPP) on Jan. 2, as part of the Local Small Business Reserve Program (LSBRP).

In 2024, the Montgomery County Council amended the LSBRP regulation to expand opportunities for Veteran-Owned businesses located in the County. Verified Veteran-Owned businesses will receive additional evaluation points worth five percent of the total available points for proposals submitted under the LSBRP.

Link to press release.

Office of Procurement Fair on Thursday, Sept. 26, in Silver Spring Will Detail Business Opportunities with Montgomery County Government and Other Local Agencies

A free procurement fair from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, at the East County Community Recreation Center in Silver Spring will provide information for businesses that are seeking contracts with the Montgomery County Government and other local agencies. The event will include a panel discussion with representatives of several government entities on how to become certified in the County’s Local Small Business Program and its Minority, Females and Disabled-Owned (MFD) program.

Another panel discussion will have representatives of agencies to talk about opportunities that may be available.

The East County Community Recreation Center is located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way in Silver Spring.

To learn more about the event and to register in advance, click here.

The panel discussion on certification for the local and MFD programs is scheduled to include:

• Michael Brown, Montgomery County Office of Procurement
• Christine Bivens, Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council
• Sandra Eberhard, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
• Christopher Lundy, City of Baltimore
• Heather McCall, Maryland Department of Transportation

The panel discussion on upcoming procurement opportunities will include:

• Melissa Garner, Montgomery County Office of Procurement
• Patrick Johnson, Montgomery College
• Jessica Lewis, City of Rockville
• Angela McIntosh-Davis, Montgomery County Public Schools
• Caprecia Poole-Williams, WSSC Water
• Lawrence Taylor, Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission
• Jontae Rice, WMATA

Office of Procurement Will Host ‘Vendor Connection Summit’ in Silver Spring on Thursday, April 25

The Montgomery County Office of Procurement will host a “Vendor Connection Summit” from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, April 25, at the Silver Spring Civic Building. Any company or business that is interested in doing business with County Government is encouraged to attend—and they do not have to be companies located in the County. There is no fee to attend.

The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Pl. in Downtown Silver Spring, near the Silver Spring Metrorail Red Line station.

More than 50 prime contractors, government agencies and local resources are expected to be represented at the expo-style event. Attendees can meet with prime contractors that currently have a contract with Montgomery County and discuss potential subcontracting opportunities. Attendees can help themselves by bringing business cards and capability statements.

Advance registration is not required, but pre-registration is encouraged. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PRIMES2024. Walk-ins are welcome and can register on-site.

For more information about the event, contact Bethany Manimbo at bethany.manimbo@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Office of Procurement Reports Record Funding for Contracts with Minority and Local Businesses in Fiscal Year 2023

The Montgomery County Office of Procurement’s recently released Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) annual reports for the Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned Business Program (MFD) and the Local Small Business Reserve Program (LSBRP) showed record funding for both groups. 

In FY23, the County awarded $246,374,095 in contracts with certified MFD businesses. The amount represented 22.6 percent of eligible dollars and the highest dollar amount for MFD firms since the program began more than 25 years ago. 

In FY23, the County awarded $305 million in contracts with certified LSBRP businesses. The amount represented 31.3 percent of eligible dollars. This is the highest dollar amount spent with local small businesses since the program began in 2009 as well as the highest percentage spend.   

“I am pleased that we have been able to increase the dollar values of County contracts with minority, female and disabled-owned businesses, as well as local small businesses," said County Executive Marc Elrich. “It has been an important goal for me to expand who we do business with and to open it up to businesses that historically may not have had access to these contracts.  I want to thank Director Ash Shetty and his team for their continued commitment to both the minority and local business contracting programs.” 

The Office of Procurement participates in more than 30 outreach events in the region annually and co-hosts outreach events with local organizations. In September 2023, the Office of Procurement partnered with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to host a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification workshop with Montgomery County’s African American Chamber of Commerce. In October 2023, the Office of Procurement and the Maryland Women’s Business Center launched a quarterly webinar series “How to Do Business with Montgomery County.” Last year, they partnered with the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce to co-host a series of vendor outreach events, with another series to launch in May.

“The Office of Procurement proudly manages several programs dedicated to improving minority and local spending in procurement,” said Director Ash Shetty. "We continue to provide outreach to the local and minority business community and are gearing up for a few outreach events with local organizations.”  

The Office of Procurement will host its annual Vendor Connection Summit on Thursday, April 25, at the Silver Spring Civic Building. This expo-style event provides opportunities for local, small and minority-owned businesses to network with representatives of County departments and other County contractors. Click here for more information. 

The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Place in Silver Spring. 

For more information on the Office of Procurement, visit its website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pro.

Annual ‘Procurement Fair’ on Thursday, Nov. 16, in Silver Spring Will Provide Details on Upcoming Business Opportunities with County Government

The Montgomery County Office of Procurement’s annual “Procurement Fair” will provide details on upcoming business opportunities with County Government. The fair, which will be held from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the East County Community Recreation Center in Silver Spring, will be free to attend. 

The East County Community Center is located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way in Silver Spring.

Any business interested in contracting opportunities with Montgomery County will benefit from attending the fair. Attendees will able to learn about upcoming procurement opportunities and they will be able to network with their professional peers.

The event will include:

• Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned Business (MFD) certifying agencies panel.
• Details on upcoming procurement opportunities from around the County.
• Networking opportunities.

Anyone who wants to attend and will require special accommodations should email Bethany Manimbo at bethany.manimbo@montgomerycountymd.gov upon registration.

More details about the event, including how to register in advance, are available at Procurement Fair.

Advance registration is full, but walk-ins without prior registration will be admitted.

Office of Procurement ‘Meet the Primes’ Expo on Tuesday, May 9, in Silver Spring Will Provide Opportunities for Businesses

Montgomery County local businesses seeking opportunities to become subcontractors for larger entities will be able to meet with more than 50 prime contractors, government agencies and local resources on Tuesday, May 9, when the County Department of Procurement holds a “Meet the Primes” expo from 9 a.m.-noon at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

There is no charge to attend the expo. The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Pl. in Downtown Silver Spring.

The expo-style event will not have panels, presentations or speeches. It is primarily a networking event for local businesses to exchange experiences, available skills and needs. The prime contractors will have exhibit tables and the attendees can meet them during the event.

The event will provide opportunities for businesses that participate in Montgomery County’s Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned (MFD) Business Program.

“We are thrilled to host this event,” said Montgomery County Procurement Director Ash Shetty. “It provides an opportunity for subcontractors to meet with prime contractors and local procurement offices. Many attendees will be local small businesses, minority, female and disabled-owned businesses seeking subcontracting opportunities. The prime contractors that will be exhibitors all have a current contract with Montgomery County, making this a great networking opportunity for all participants.”

Although the event is free, those planning to attend are asked to register in advance. Walk-ins will be welcomed. To register, use the form here.

The more than 50 exhibitors will include:

• Prime contractors who currently have a contract with Montgomery County, such as Clark Construction, AT&T and Montage Marketing Group.
• Procurement representatives from organizations such as Montgomery College, Baltimore County Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools and WSSC Water.
• Chamber of Commerce and business organizations such as the Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, the Montgomery County Business Center and the Maryland Women’s Business Center.

For additional information about the event, visit https://meetprimes2023.eventbrite.com or contact Bethany Manimbo of the County’s Department of Procurement at bethany.manimbo@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Office of Procurement ‘Meet the Primes’ Expo on Tuesday, May 9, in Silver Spring Will Provide Opportunities for Businesses Seeking to Become Subcontractors

Montgomery County local businesses seeking opportunities to become subcontractors for larger entities will be able to meet with more than 50 prime contractors, government agencies and local resources on Tuesday, May 9, when the County Department of Procurement holds a “Meet the Primes” expo from 9 a.m.-noon at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

There is no charge to attend the expo. The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Pl. in Downtown Silver Spring.

The expo-style event will not have panels, presentations or speeches. It is primarily a networking event for local businesses to exchange experiences, available skills and needs. The prime contractors will have exhibit tables and the attendees can meet them during the event.

The event will provide opportunities for businesses that participate in Montgomery County’s Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned (MFD) Business Program.

“We are thrilled to host this event,” said Montgomery County Procurement Director Ash Shetty. “It provides an opportunity for subcontractors to meet with prime contractors and local procurement offices. Many attendees will be local small businesses, minority, female and disabled-owned businesses seeking subcontracting opportunities. The prime contractors that will be exhibitors all have a current contract with Montgomery County, making this a great networking opportunity for all participants.”

Although the event is free, those planning to attend are asked to register in advance. Walk-ins will be welcomed. To register, use the form here.

The more than 50 exhibitors will include:

• Prime contractors who currently have a contract with Montgomery County, such as Clark Construction, AT&T and Montage Marketing Group.
• Procurement representatives from organizations such as Montgomery College, Baltimore County Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools and WSSC Water.
• Chamber of Commerce and business organizations such as the Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, the Montgomery County Business Center and the Maryland Women’s Business Center.

For additional information about the event, visit https://meetprimes2023.eventbrite.com or contact Bethany Manimbo of the County’s Department of Procurement at bethany.manimbo@montgomerycountymd.gov.

How to Do Business with Montgomery County Government Will Be Featured Topic of Procurement Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 11

How to do business with the Montgomery County Government will be the featured topic of an in-person fair held by the County’s Department of Procurement starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11. County Executive Marc Elrich will deliver opening remarks for the event, which will be held at the East County Community Recreation Center.

The East County Community Recreation Center is located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way in Silver Spring. Advanced registration for the fair is full, but walk-in registrations will be accepted. Free parking is available at the site.

To view details for the event, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/procurement-fair-tickets-415564463497?aff=PIOnews.

“On behalf of my team at the Montgomery County Office of Procurement we are excited to meet our vendors in person again,” said Director of Procurement Ash Shetty. “And we are proud to simulcast the event virtually, so our partners have the flexibility they have become accustomed to as they worked with us through the pandemic.”

The event will be livestreamed on the Montgomery County Cable Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CountyCableMoCo.

The event will have panel discussions and networking opportunities. The panel discussions will include:

• 10 a.m. MFD Certifying Agencies. Panelists will include Vashti Pyatt of Maryland Department of Transportation; Sandra Eberhard of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council; Sharon Pinder of the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council; and Christopher Lundy of the City of Baltimore.
• 11 a.m. Upcoming Procurement Opportunities from Around the County. Panelists will include Patrick Johnson of Montgomery College; Jessica Lewis of the City of Rockville; Angela McIntosh-Davis of Montgomery County Public Schools; and Caprecia Poole-Williams of the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission.
• Noon. Business Resources Panel. Panelists will include Naddia Clute, the Montgomery County Small Business Navigator; Wayne Frazier of Maryland Washington Minority Business Association; and Laurie M. Boyer Babb of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation.

More information about the Procurement Fair is available here.

Office of Procurement to Host Event on Tuesday, May 24, Addressing Details and Success Stories on Its Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned Business Program

The Montgomery County Office of Procurement will hold a special event from 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, May 24, to provide details and success stories regarding its Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned (MFD) Business Program. County Executive Marc Elrich will provide the welcome remarks for the event.

The program will offer suggestions on how minority businesses can increase their opportunities to earn contracts with County Government. The event will include success stories from minority business owners and will provide information on how the MFD program can help a business.

In-person registration for the event is filled, but any business owner can view the event via live stream on the Montgomery County Cable Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CountyCableMoCo.

The event will feature panelists from the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, the Maryland Women’s Business Center, WorkSource Montgomery and other organizations that provide minority business resources. There also will be a panel of minority business owners sharing their success stories.

More information about the event is available at the Office of Procurement website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pro or by contacting Bethany Manimbo at Bethany.manimbo@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-9941.

Companies Interested in Doing Business with Montgomery County Can Benefit by Attending Virtual ‘Procurement Fair’ on Wednesday, Dec. 15

Companies interested in potentially doing business with the Montgomery County Government and earning government contracts can learn about the process and opportunities available at a “Procurement Fair” that will be hosted virtually by the Office of Procurement from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Wednesday, Dec. 15. There is no cost to attend the fair.

During the fair, contract administrators representing various County departments will discuss their expectations and the relevant solicitations.

Opening remarks for the fair will be offered by Director of the Office of Procurement Ash Shetty, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Jake Weissmann.

“Last year, we hosted our inaugural ‘Reverse Trade Fair’ virtually to resounding success,” said Procurement Director Shetty. “Vendors were pleased to access the information virtually. Our post-attendee survey showed that 92 percent of attendees found the information helpful, and 93 percent of attendees thought the event was good, great or excellent. We look forward to this year’s event.”

John Gillick of the County’s Department of Technology Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS) will make a presentation regarding information technology. Another presentation will be made by Ijeoma Oji of the County’s Department of Health and Human Services.

The fair also will include a panel discussion addressing government procurement opportunities. The agencies represented on the panel will include the County Government, Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College. In addition, representatives on the panel will be from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and from the City of Rockville, which is a municipality.

To learn more about the event and how to register to participate virtually, go to https://bit.ly/3rgpbCM.

Office of Procurement to Accept Disabled Veteran Certification in MFD Program Starting Friday, Oct. 1

Montgomery County’s Office of Procurement will add the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ “Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business” certification to the County’s Minority, Female and Disabled (MFD) owned business program starting Friday, Oct. 1. The certification allows service-disabled veterans to qualify with a preference under the “disabled” category when competing for County contracts.

The certification for “Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business” is different from the “Veteran Owned” certification.

The new certification will expand the MFD program to accept certifications in the following six categories:

• Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (Minority Business Enterprise)
• City of Baltimore (Minority and Women's Business Opportunity Office)
• Federal Small Business Administration (8(a) Program)
• Maryland Department of Transportation (Minority Business Enterprise)
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business)
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (Women's Business Enterprise)

“The MFD program had a record-breaking year in FY21, with $200,457,253 (26.86 percent) awarded to certified Minority, Female and Disabled Persons owned businesses,” said Ash Shetty, director of the Office of Procurement. “This is the highest percentage awarded in the past 20 years. In addition, we are pleased to expand our certification categories to include service-disabled Veteran-owned businesses.”

“Montgomery County has made the important decision to include Service-Disabled Veterans as part of their MFD Certification Program.” said Wes Guckert, founder, president and CEO of The Traffic Group, Inc. “As a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business certified by the Small Business Administration/Department of Veterans Affairs, we are thrilled to be able to take advantage of this opportunity to do work for Montgomery County if the opportunity presents itself.”

For questions regarding Montgomery County’s MFD program, contact Alvin Boss at alvin.boss@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Learn more about the MFD program at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pro.

County Procurement Recognizes Small Business Month with Launch of Vendor Innovation Portal for Small Businesses

To recognize Small Business Month in May, the Montgomery County Office of Procurement is launching a new web-based service to connect vendors with County departments. The Vendor Innovation Portal (VIP) will allow businesses to introduce their company and connect with contacts in the County that could best utilize their goods or services.

The initiative is a positive step in encouraging innovation and finding best value solutions to the challenges faced in government purchasing. Vendors can access the portal at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/PRO/vendor-resources/VIP.html.

“Vendors frequently contact me with innovative ideas that would not only improve outcomes like environmental impact, but they could also save the County money.” said Chief Procurement Officer and Office of Procurement Director Ash Shetty. “The Vendor Innovation Portal provides more opportunities for businesses in our supply pool to communicate directly with the relevant County departments.”

The Office of Procurement has created several recent initiatives to help small businesses. As of April 1, the director designated all informal solicitations under the Local Small Business Reserve Program.

The Local Business Preference Program (LBPP) went into effect in August 2020. LBPP requires a 10 percent price preference for a local business bidding on an Invitation for Bid or an evaluation factor worth 10 percent of the total points for a local business submitting a proposal under an RFP for a contract awarded by the County.

To learn more about all of the local business programs, visit the Procurement website www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pro.

All Informal Solicitations of County Government Will Come Under Local Small Business Program Starting April 1 to Help Assist in Recovery from COVID-19

The Montgomery County Government’s director of the Office of Procurement will require all informal solicitations starting April 1 be reserved under the County’s Local Small Business Reserve Program (LSBRP). The initiative is part of County Executive Marc Elrich’s effort to assist local small businesses to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis.

In Fiscal Year 2020, the County awarded $2,026,173 in informal solicitations. 

“To a small local business, a $75,000 to $100,000 County government contract could make the difference between tiding over or having to permanently shutter their doors,” said Procurement Director Ash Shetty. “It is incumbent on us to make sure that, if there is a competitive pool of local businesses that can meet our needs and requirements, that they be given the opportunity.”

Previously, a County department could submit an exemption request to the Office of Procurement’s Division of Business Relations and Compliance to exempt an informal solicitation from the LSBRP. While the exemptions allowed streamlining of the informal solicitation procurement process, the small purchases (below $100,000) will now provide greater contracting opportunities to local small businesses.

The Office of Procurement urges County small businesses to register for the LSBRP. To learn more about the initiative, visit the Procurement website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pro.

Procurement Virtual Fair Now Viewable Online

 

The Montgomery County Office of Procurement hosted a Virtual Procurement Fair on Dec. 9 at which representatives from more than 10 County departments shared best practices and general advice for contractors who may want to obtain future County contracts. The fair addressed some of the upcoming solicitations the County will be offering. Hundreds of local vendors participated in the virtual fair, asking questions and offering suggestions. 

Among the speakers at the fair were County Executive Marc Elrich, County Chief Equity Officer Tiffany Ward, County Director of Procurement Ash Shetty and representatives of local Chambers of Commerce. The event featured four industry-specific sessions, focusing on IT, construction, equipment/supplies and professional services. 

The full-day fair was recorded so vendors who were unable to participate, or those who did participate and wanted to review the information, could see the event. The fair, including PowerPoint presentations that were made during the fair, can now be viewed on the Procurement website. 

“During a time of increased caution and alarm brought on by the uptick in COVID cases across the region and the nation, it was gratifying to see hundreds of vendors engage with County Procurement in our virtual trade fair, “ said Department Director Shetty. “The optimism and positive outlook that these vendors seem to have for business prospects with the County over the next 12 to 18 months should give us all tremendous hope for the future.”

Free Procurement Workshop Feb. 4; Ready, Set, Grow

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Governor's Office of Small, Minority and Women Business Affairs invite entrepreneurs and small businesses who want to learn more about contracting opportunities with government agencies to attend a free procurement workshop. The free workshop, Ready, Set, Grow will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Silver Spring Civic Building located at One Veterans Place.

In addition to learning about contracting opportunities with government agencies, participants will get an overview of how small, minority, women, and veteran procurement programs work, information on what buyers are looking for right now, and what is in the pipeline. There will also be open networking sessions and opportunities to connect with a variety of resource partners who can help small businesses thrive.

More information and registration information is available here.

Office of Procurement Launches of Solicitation Innovative Tracker

The Montgomery County Office of Procurement has launched an innovative new online tool to find the status of a solicitation from issuance to contract execution. It is the first device of its kind being used by a local government in the Washington region.

The tracker increases transparency by providing the ability to view the solicitation process from beginning to end.

The tracker is located on the Procurement website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/tracker.

The tracker includes the ability to contact people directly and find additional information such as bid tabulations. The tracker includes solicitations dating back seven years. The tracker was developed in-house by the County’s Department of Technology Services.