The state of Maryland purchases a wide variety of goods and services from power tools to construction. In FY 2020, the state spent more than $19 billion on goods and services, with more than $400 million with certified small businesses. eMaryland Marketplace (eMMA) is the State of Maryland’s eProcurement system where all Maryland solicitations for State, Local, County, Schools, and Universities post their public notices for solicitations throughout the State.

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The state of Maryland recognizes three certifications: 
 

• Small Business Reserve (SBR)

• Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)

• Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE)

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SBR, MBE, and VSBE certifications is NOT a requirement for doing business with the state of Maryland. Why certify?

Nearly every contract with state funding is reviewed for small business designation and/or minority, women, and veteran
inclusion.

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• ALL BUSINESSES should register on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA), the State’s procurement portal. Registration is free and you can begin here: https://procurement.maryland.gov/ The State of Maryland and many counties use eMMA to publish solicitations. Once registered with eMMA, your business will receive email notifications of solicitations issued under the NAICS codes your business identified during registration. So be sure to register for as many NAICS codes as may apply to your business.
   

• WOMEN-OWNED and MINORITY BUSINESSES should register with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to become certified as Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs).

  • ​Only this pool of certified MBEs is eligible to be considered for MBE subcontracting opportunities on State of Maryland contracts. Visit the MDOT MBE website.
     

• SMALL BUSINESSES can self-certify through eMMA for the Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program. Information for this program, including registration information, may be found here. Some procurements are reserved for small businesses, which means that small businesses are competing only against other small businesses.
   

• VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (VSBEs) must be verified by the Center for Veterans Enterprise of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in order to be eligible to be considered for VSBE subcontracting opportunities on State of Maryland contracts. VSBEs can obtain more information and apply for verification through the Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization on their website.

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More information is available on the Maryland Procurement website. The state also hosts regular outreach events for the small business community. 

 

Our experienced team at the Maryland APEX Accelerator is available to walk you through the state registration and certification process, and any other government contracting topics at no cost to you. Apply below today!

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