County of Baltimore sets goal to increase MWBE utilization

MD News - Published Jan 23, 2023

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski has issued an executive order calling for utilization of minority- and woman-owned businesses (MWBEs) in County contracting to be increased to 30 percent by 2026. The current MWBE utilization goal, last set in 2017, is 15 percent.

The terms of the executive order also call for MWBE utilization to be increased to 23 percent of Baltimore discretional procurements by the end of fiscal year 2023. This goal comes after the County hit a milestone of 22 percent MWBE utilization in procurement during fiscal year 2022, after several years of consistently exceeding the 15 percent goal. 

The County is embarking on several efforts to achieve the 30 percent goal, including providing mobilization costs for subcontractors, holding a Blue Ribbon Panel for Procurement Reform, and hiring the County's first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

"With this new goal we are recommitting to doing even more to expand opportunities for our minority and women entrepreneurs in the years ahead," Olszewski said in a statement.

Read the press release from the County at https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/county-news/2023/01/04/olszewski-issues-executive-order-to-raise-baltimore-countys-minority-and-women-owned-business-participation-goals-to-30-percent-by-fiscal-year-2026.

Read the executive order itself at https://resources.baltimorecountymd.gov/Documents/Executive/orders/2022-005mbewbe.pdf.