Competition for lucrative procurement and contracting opportunities is tough, especially for minority business enterprises (MBEs) in the market with more established companies. Many small businesses grow through work as a subcontractor, and building relationships with prime contractors is key for MBEs to be successful.
Ben Morgan, vice president at Barton Malow Builders, a Baltimore-based construction management firm that focuses on projects for higher education, K-12 schools, health care and sports, embraces his company’s role in supporting the development of MBEs.
“Many minority companies are not given a chance because they don’t have the experience,” he said. “If you are only giving a minority contractor a job every one or two years, they are not gaining that experience. As a prime contractor, you can help them grow.”
This spirit is at the heart of Maryland’s MBE Program, which was created in 1978 to boost participation from small minority and women-owned businesses in the state’s procurement process. There are 70 agencies and departments participating in the program and working to achieve a statewide participation goal of 29%.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Katie Turner over at The Daily Record
