And if it’s details that Ford wanted for attendees, it’s details she got.
Keynote speaker Floyd E. Wilson Jr., a director in the Prince George’s County’s Office of Central Services, which handles procurement for the county, didn’t give the usual encouraging pep talk expected at such events. He instead rattled off names and numbers of primary contact people, and Web sites, for those interested in procurement opportunities with the county and state. He even shared the names of secretaries and analysts in key departments.
‘‘We have at the county level roughly $40 million each year in contracts as they relate directly to Prince George’s County government,” he said.
Although Wilson can’t personally meet with everyone to explain the procurement and minority certification process, he tries to meet as many as he can. ‘‘I have over 3,000 companies in my database, and all there is is me,” he said.
Some business owners pay in the thousands to hire people to help them get certified, but Wilson said that is not necessary because staff in his office provide that service for free.
Prince George’s County has no certification process ‘‘per se,” as it automatically accepts businesses that register through the Maryland Department of Transportation, which handles such certification for the state, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Minority businesses need not be certified to participate in the procurement process, but it is an advantage that allows them access to a 30 percent set-aside, Wilson said.
For opportunities that reach beyond the nation’s borders, Patricia E. Hayes Parker highlighted how the county’s Economic Development Corp. helps local companies broaden their scope.
After following a presentation that covered the development of a domestic business plan, Parker, the group’s vice president, said ‘‘an international business plan is just as necessary if you intend to take your business global.”
The economic development group holds an annual international economic conference that has focused on Asian regions, Latin America and Caribbean Basin, and will focus on Africa this year.
The county last week received $400,000 in federal funding for an African trade office, which will eventually be in the foreign trade zone at Steeplechase 95 International Business Park, a 110-acre mixed-use development in Capitol Heights. A foreign trade zone is a secure area in or near a secure port of entry that is considered to be outside U.S. customs territory, Parker said.
‘‘When you’re looking at engaging in international markets ... research is key,” she said. Companies must understand the market they are considering, the opportunities available, cost, pricing and export controls, she said.
‘‘There are a number of issues that you need to address so that they don’t become challenges to you and create undue risk,” she said.
Phyllis Slade Martin said she was particularly happy to hear about the county’s push to encourage business opportunities with Africa.
‘‘This has been a wonderful conference for me. I knew there were international initiatives but I didn’t know specifically about this,” said Martin, founder of Slade and Associates LLC, a training and organizational consulting company in Glenn Dale.
‘‘I think it’s a place that will be booming with opportunities and a place that we can assist in making a difference,” said Martin, who is interested in partnering with larger firms for training opportunities there.
