County eases rules for contractors

Steps designed to help small and minority-owned businesses

The county has increased this period to 30 days. Plus, it no longer requires bonds for non-construction projects of less than $100,000, allows letters of credit in lieu of bonds and waives bonds on a case-by-case basis. Surety bonding holders, the minority business community, county council representatives and other county officials worked out these changes through several meetings.

Jim Estepp, CEO and president of the Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable, said he welcomes anything that helps county companies in the competitive government markets, saying many businesses have viewed bonding requirements as onerous and nearly impossible to meet.

Prince George’s has also expanded its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program; eligible companies have a leg up in winning contracts. Previously, the county accepted certification from only the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The county will now also accept certification from the MD⁄DC Supplier Development Council for companies that don’t meet the other agencies’ limits on the owner’s personal net worth; gross annual receipts must still remain below the Small Business Administration restriction of $19.57 million.

This allows the county to focus more on the requirement that at least 51 percent of the firm is under a socially and economically disadvantaged owner, according to county information.

‘‘Every little bit helps,” said KC Ford, owner of GettingThere4Him in Bowie, and host of March’s ‘‘How To” conference for small, minority-owned and disadvantaged businesses. She urged businesses to do their part by educating themselves about the process and getting involved. ‘‘There are measurable mechanisms in place to allow competitive bidding.”

Ronald Lipford, owner of Arel Architects in Clinton, said he thinks the county’s efforts go a step beyond other jurisdictions’ and has noticed businesses taking advantage of them. Lipford has worked with the county for six years and is working on the District 7 police station in Fort Washington and fire stations.

Prince George’s has averaged 37 percent minority contracts for the last three years, said Denise Roberts, a spokeswoman for Johnson.

to learn more

More information about the county’s new contracting regulations is available at 301-883-6480 through the county’s Minority Business Development Division.