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Gov. Martin O'Malley unveiled a 10-point plan to strengthen small businesses in a presentation at the Maryland Chamber of Commerce's Business Policy Conference in Cambridge on Thursday.

The plan includes the creation of the Commission for Small Business, building off the progress of the Small Business Task Force, which O'Malley (D) established in July, according to his prepared remarks.

Other elements include bringing more businesses into the state's Health Insurance Partnership; creating a solitary and uniform loan application for any small business applying for state financing; waiving state administrative loan fees including those for the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority; extending the Small Business Reserve program for six more years; and asking the state's new Federal Facilities Task Force to help open up federal procurement and contracting opportunities.

TCS buys Solvern, an $18M tech firm

TeleCommunication Systems of Annapolis, which provides wireless communications systems, has acquired privately held Solvern Innovations of Baltimore, an $18 million communications technology company that specializes in cyber-security.

The acquisition extends TCS' core competency in secure network communications and encryption, which are integral to its secure satellite communication and wireless carrier businesses, according to TCS information.

Edgewood cable office faces religious discrimination suit

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against cable television service company Conn-X of Florida, which has an office in Edgewood, and human resources giant Administaff Inc. of Texas.

The suit claims that, beginning in 2005, two employees of Conn-X's Edgewood office were harassed physically and verbally because they are Jewish.

The agency alleges brothers Scott and Joey Jacobson were called "dirty Jew," "dumb Jew" and other anti-Semitic slurs by managers and co-workers. Scott Jacobson was also forced into a trash bin and had his work vehicle defaced with a swastika, according to agency information. Managers allegedly observed the trash can incident on a work surveillance camera.

Administaff severed its co-employment status with Conn-X shortly after Scott Jacobson filed his complaint.

The federal agency seeks monetary and injunctive relief for both Jacobsons and enjoins the officers and employees of both companies from engaging in further employment discrimination on the basis of religion. It also seeks to require the employers to establish policies and practices that provide equal employment opportunities for Jewish employees.

Port sets record for cruise passengers

The Port of Baltimore set a record in September when the Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas set sail — with the 104,254th passenger to embark a cruise ship in the port this year. The previous mark was set in 2004, when the port offered a then-record 60 cruises, according to port information. Through Oct. 22, 125,248 passengers had left on 60 cruises from the port's Cruise Maryland terminal.

"This sends a strong message to the international cruise industry that this port, this city, and this state can effectively handle an increased amount of cruise business," said Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) in a statement. "Despite an extremely challenging economy, most of our cruises have sailed near maximum capacity."

The port's 81 homeport cruises in 2009 are expected to have an economic impact of about $152 million in its first year of all-seasonal cruising. Last year, 27 cruises left from Baltimore with an economic impact of nearly $63 million.

Prince George's OKs tax district for Largo development

The Prince George's County Council has approved a resolution that will establish and designate a special taxing district for the One Largo Metro development area. Project developer Peter N.G. Schwartz has submitted a bid to house the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at the completed project, provided the county can persuade the agency to relocate from the Parklawn Building in Rockville.

County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) introduced the resolution in October.

One Largo Metro will include 935,000 square feet of office space and 10,000 square feet of retail space and is expected to produce about 4,759 direct jobs and 1,212 indirect jobs.

India Globalizaton lands railway contract

India Globalization Capital of Bethesda, an infrastructure and materials company operating in India, is selling 200,000 metric tons of rock aggregate to Indian Railways for $1 million.

Indian Railways is the state-owned railway company of India, which owns and operates most of the country's rail transport. It transports more than 18 million passengers and more than 2 million tons of freight each day, according to India Globalization information.

Under Armour partners with Florida company

Sports apparel company Under Armour of Baltimore and sports marketing company IMG Worldwide of Bradenton, Fla., have formed a partnership to develop a new sports performance measurement system called Combine 360.

According to Under Armour information, the system will measure and record sport-specific ability and mental aptitude, nutritional level, ability to communicate and a variety of other performance disciplines allowing athletes of all abilities from across the world to compare their scores.

Zyngenia raises $10M for drug development

Privately held Zyngenia of Rockville has secured $10 million in Series A funding from New Enterprise Associates, a venture capital firm with offices in Chevy Chase and Baltimore.

Zyngenia said it plans to use the money to create novel, multi-specific antibody-like molecules that address two or more biological targets with a single agent. The company will initially focus on various cancers and autoimmune diseases.

MetaMedia, association awarded federal grant

MetaMedia Training International of Germantown, along with the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association of the U.S. and Canada, has won a Department of Labor grant to create a "Green Five Curriculum" that demonstrates the application, tasks and processes used to apply environmentally friendly products in the plasterer and cement masonry fields.

GenVec signs $22M deal with NIH

GenVec of Gaithersburg has signed a contract worth $22 million, if all options are exercised, with SAIC-Frederick to develop influenza and HIV vaccines in support of the Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

GenVec will receive $2.6 million in the first year of the four-year contract.

On Thursday, GenVec reported a third-quarter net loss of $3.6 million, compared with a net loss of $6.8 million in the same quarter of 2008. Revenues fell to $2.9 million from $4.2 million.

Prince George's pawnshops face new prohibitions

The Prince George's County Council has approved a law prohibiting pawnshops from buying or selling basic medical, health and beauty products.

The measure is supported by police and major area retailers including CVS, Safeway and Target. It is designed to stop frequently stolen items such as razors, lotion and over-the-counter medicine from being sold to the shops. Such products account for a large amount of suspected stolen goods, according to police department records.

The law takes effect Dec. 18.

Osiris receives $15M milestone payment

Osiris Therapeutics of Columbia, which develops stem cell treatments, has received a $15 million milestone payment from NuVasive related to the sale of its Osteocel business. NuVasive, of San Diego, has reached $35 million in cumulative sales of Osteocel.

With this final payment, Osiris has realized the full $85 million value from the sale of Osteocel.