MBE Program
Minority Business Enterprise Initiative
The Office of Fair Practice (OFP) aims to increase awareness, maximize participation, and support partnership opportunities for minority, disadvantaged, and veteran-owned firms, both internally and externally. By doing so, the Maryland Port Authority contributes to achieving economic development and fosters a more inclusive and diverse business community. Maryland's MBE regulations require agencies to structure their procurements to achieve an overall minimum of 29% of the total dollar value of their procurement contracts directly or indirectly from all certified Minority Business Enterprises. OFP staff, as members of the Procurement Review Group (PRG), regularly meet with MPA procuring departments to review and assess upcoming MPA procurements for supplies, services, maintenance, construction, and architectural/engineering projects to determine if MBE goals and subgoals are appropriate for each contract.
MPA Areas of Work
- Construction
- Dredging
- Architectural and Engineering
- Crane Maintenance
- Concrete Work
- Hauling
- Demolition
- Construction Supplies
- Information Technology
How to do business with MPA
ALL BUSINESSES should register on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA), the State’s procurement portal. Once registered with eMMA, your business will receive email notifications of solicitations issued under the commodity codes your business identified during registration. So be sure to register for as many commodity codes as may apply to your business.
Several resources are available to vendors to help register and use the eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA).
For Current Solicitations, please visit Pages -
Business: Solicitations (maryland.gov) or Public Solicitations:
Maryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA).
How to Get MBE/DBE/VSBE Certified
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is Maryland's official certification agency for the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE).
Interested applicants are encouraged to submit the Uniform Certification Application for both MBE and DBE certification. MDOT’s Office of Minority Business Enterprise will use this single application to evaluate candidates for eligibility in both programs simultaneously. Applicants can also elect to be evaluated for ACDBE certification in addition to the MBE and DBE Certifications.
VSBE Program Participation
The veteran verification process includes, but may not be limited to, completion and submission of DD Form 214, Certificate of Release, or Discharge from Active Duty. Veteran status must be verified by one of the following entities:
-
VSBEVeteranVerificationForm
Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs- To be uploaded in the eMMA Application
-
Federal Veteran Verification
Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert)
VSBE firms must be registered as a vendor on the state's e-Procurement platform -
eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). Vendors registered in eMMA receive email notices of procurement opportunities from state agencies and departments valued over $15,000.
MPA Contracts Pre-Award
For solicitations with an MBE goal a bidder or offeror shall submit with its bid or proposal package:
MDOT MBE FORM A - MBE Utilization and Fair Solicitation Affidavit
(Form A - PDF file), and
MDOT MBE FORM B: MBE Participation Schedule
(Form B - PDF file).
If bidders or offerors make a good faith effort to achieve the MBE participation goal and conclude that they are unable to achieve it, they must submit a waiver request for approval by the Office of Fair Practice by stating the amount of MBE participation they intend to achieve and requesting a waiver of the remainder of the goal on Form A.
Within ten (10) working days of receiving notice that it is the apparent awardee or from the date of actual award, whichever is earliest, the apparent low bidder must submit :
MDOT MBE FORM C - Outreach Efforts Compliance Statement
(Form C - PDF file), and
MDOT MBE FORM D Subcontractor Project Participation Statement
(Form D - PDF file)
If bidders or offerors have requested a waiver of the certified MBE participation goals on the contract, documentation of their good faith efforts per COMAR 21.11.03.11 must be submitted to the procuring unit within this ten-day period.
(Waiver - PDF file)
For solicitations with a VSBE goal a bidder or offeror shall submit with its bid or proposal package:
Attachment E - E-1 VSBE UTILIZATION AFFIDAVIT AND PRIME/SUBCONTRACTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEDULE "VSBE FORMS"
