MDOT seeking feedback for Disparity Study

MD News - Published Sep 16, 2024

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is currently conducting a disparity study into its utilization of minority- and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) in order to determine if there are disparities in the State's contract awards to such businesses, and, if so, how these disparities might be remedied.

As part of this study, the State will collect various sources of quantitative data, but will also be gathering qualitative data by soliciting feedback from various stakeholders, including MWBE business owners. As part of this effort, the team conducting the disparity study has made available an Online Vendor Questionnaire, which businesses can complete to provide information about their experiences in doing, or attempting to do, business with the State of Maryland, and any discrimination they may have encountered along the way.

The disparity study team will also be conducting five focus groups on separate days (September 10th, 11th, 12th, 17th, and 18th of 2024), which members of various industries are invited to attend, at which businesses will be able to provide feedback on their experiences in the marketplace. The State has also made available some general contact methods and forms by which businesses can provide feedback at the disparity study's website, linked below.

Find the State's page for the study, complete with the link to its vendor survey, links to registration for focus groups, and a general comment form and contact methods, at https://stateofmddisparitystudy.com/.