State of Maryland Socio-Economic Programs
The University of Baltimore's MBE Liaison and Small Business Liaison is the Director of Procurement, 410.837.5714 Questions about how to do business with UBalt or about UBalt's business opportunities should be addressed to the MBE Liaison and Small Business Liaison.
Blind Industries and Services of Maryland
Innovative Programs and Services for Blind and Low Vision People are provided to the citizens of Maryland by Blind Industries & Services of Maryland (BISM). They offers free life skills rehabilitation programs for blind and low vision people of all ages. Our mission at BISM is to provide each student with the ability to achieve self-sufficiency, personal growth and independence.
Comprehensive instruction is offered in Braille, Cane Travel, Adaptive Computer Technology, and Independent Home Living. The majority of BISM instructors are blind and serve as mentors and role models to the students.
Shopping With BISM Has Never Been Easier!
Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) is here to meet the needs of you, our customer. To help make your shopping experience more convenient and to fit your needs BISM provides multiple ways for you to purchase and work with our BISM Team of specialists.
BISM is proud to offer the following ways to shop:
• Customer Care 410-737-2600 or 888-322-4567: This qualified team of professionals are available Monday-Friday from 8am - 4:30pm to answer all of your questions and help meet all of your needs. We look forward to taking your order for BISM products and encourage you to call us at anytime to check your order status or to receive product assistance.
• ShopBISM.com: This online purchasing option provides you a way to shop at your convenience, 24/7 to fulfill all of your BISM State Use Master List product needs while giving you access to 80,000 items to consider for your office’s requirements. For preferred State pricing and to setup an account contact us at 877-647-4611 or click the “Request Account” button.
• Email orders@bism.org: Allows for a busy purchasing professional to create a purchase order and email it in to our Customer Care Professionals. We will reply with a confirmation and are there to answer any questions you may have about the status of your order.
• Fax 410-737-2667: Purchase orders faxed over to BISM will be entered and your confirmation will be sent, ensuring you that your order has been received and is in process.
Every purchase creates additional jobs for blind Marylanders at BISM.
Support the work of BISM by buying supplies from them! See the link for available supplies.
Minority Business Enterprise Program
The University System of Maryland Minority Business Enterprise program is committed to maximizing contract opportunities for minority businesses and to the 29 percent participation rate goal. The System's procurement policies and procedures commit to competition and equal access to USM business opportunities.
Last year, the USM spent over $142.7 million dollars with certified MBE firms!
The University System of Maryland Board of Regents supports the State of Maryland’s efforts to increase opportunities for minority and women owned businesses to conduct business with the State in general and the USM in particular. The USM recognizes the responsibility and accepts the challenges associated with the implementation of this important goal. The Board of Regents stated "…the University System of Maryland remains firmly committed to encouraging participation in its procurements by certified minority business enterprises".
There are four key elements to the UBalt strategy of for achieving the 29% goal and the 10% (or more) procurement activity (as measured by payments made) with certified small businesses:
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Education of administration, faculty and staff
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Targeted procurements
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Outreach
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Monitoring
Minority Business Enterprise Program
A Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is a business that is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more minority persons. A minority is generally defined as an individual who is African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American, a Woman or a Disabled Person.
The Maryland Department of Transportation must certify MBE firms before we can count their participation toward our goals. MDOT also maintains a database of certified MBE contractors.
In July 2001 the State increased the goal of awarding contracts to Minority Business Enterprises from 14 percent to 25 percent. In 2013 the State again increased the aspirational goal to 29 percent. We must work even harder and smarter to reach the goal. University faculty and staff must work together to actively consider MBEs when making purchases.
The Maryland Department of Transportation is the State Agency that has responsibility for certifying minority businesses in Maryland. You can access the database of certified MBE contractors on the MDOT web page.
There is an index to NAICS codes available on the NAICS web page.
Small and Disadvantaged Businesses
The State of Maryland Small Business Reserve Program is committed to the growth and success of small businesses. Through the Small Business Reserve program, small businesses will be able to bid for State contracts without competing with larger, more established companies, when responding to a designated procurement..
Registration is easy and businesses must be self-certified annually. The Maryland Department of General Services provides more information about the Small Business Reserve Program including a database of certified small businesses.
As of Oct. 1, 2004, designated agencies (including UBalt) are required to award a minimum of 10 percent of their units' total dollar value of goods, supplies, services, maintenance, construction, construction related, architectural service and engineering service contracts to small businesses.
The University fully supports contracting efforts to integrate small and disadvantaged businesses as University contractors in compliance with Public Law 95-507, which requires outreach to small and disadvantaged businesses and development of plans for contracting or subcontracting with small and disadvantaged businesses. Small and disadvantaged businesses include Women Owned firms, Disadvantaged firms, Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUB Zones), Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCUs), Veteran Owned Small Businesses and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses.
Part of our certification to receive federal funds is based on fulfillment of our Small Business Master Subcontracting Plan. Part of Procurement's responsibility is to be sure the Master Subcontracting Plan is up to date, to ensure that individual Small Business Subcontracting Plans are written for each federally funded contract in excess of $500,000 and to issue the semiannual SF 294 and SF 295 reports on progress to date in fulfilling the Subcontracting Master Plan.
When spending federal funds, Procurement Staff and the customer has the responsibility to search source lists of small, disadvantaged, women-owned, HUB-Zone, HBCU and Veteran Owned Small Businesses for firms that can provide the needed goods and services. The Procurement Specialist will investigate the firms' capabilities and consider our own experience and the experience of references with these firms to determine If they are qualified to provide what is needed. If a competitive solicitation is issued all such qualified firms will receive a copy of the solicitation. In addition copies of formal Invitations For Bids and Requests For Proposals are mailed to the State of Maryland Office of Minority Affairs.
Source lists to be utilized include:
- Veteran Owned Businesses: www.vetbiz.gov
- State of Maryland Minority Business Enterprise Directory
- The Small Business Administrations provides information about the small business program.
Procurement and Materials Management can assist you in finding MBE, small and disadvantaged businesses, including women owned businesses, HUB Zone businesses, veteran owned businesses, service disabled veteran owned businesses, and historically black colleges and universities.
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