State’s Celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month Targets Small Business Community

*This press release is provided by the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs. 

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The State of Maryland is helping Hispanic-owned small businesses learn to navigate the procurement process during the celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Three offices within the Governor’s Coordinating Offices collaborated to host “State Procurement 101” last night in College Park. The event was presented in Spanish and drew 60 small business owners.

“Maryland is open for business, and we are eager to see more Hispanic American-owned small businesses enter the state’s contracting arena,” said Jimmy Rhee, special secretary of the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs. “Learning how to navigate the procurement process will help these firms compete with confidence.”

The Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs, the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, and the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs pooled resources to offer this targeted outreach program during National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from September 15 through October 15, 2019.

“With over 40,000 small businesses in Maryland, Hispanic businesses have expanded their
footprint in Maryland,” said Steve McAdams, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. “This culturally competitive class provides the resources and information for Spanish-speaking small business owners to thrive in our great state.”

During the two-hour program, participants gained insights on the procurement process, purchasing thresholds, the statewide eProcurement platform, and useful business intelligence tools. Eligibility and enrollment requirements for the Small Business Reserve, Minority Business Enterprise, and Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise procurement programs were also covered.

Small Business Procurement 101 Fist-Ever in Spanish

Walkiria Pool, Chair of Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs and Co-Chair of 2020 Maryland Census Count Complete Committee, welcoming 60 business owners and nearly 100 attendees

Eduardo D. Hayden, Small Business Outreach Manager from Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs, educating the audience about the Maryland state procurement process

Q & A Session

Prominent Hispanic Small Business Owners in Maryland Recognized and 2020 Maryland Census Information Shared