State goals to aid female- and minority-owned firms are not being met in contracts on private projects that receive tax dollars, advocates told a state board Wednesday.
Maryland?s Board of Public Works is reviewing minority enterprise goals for private projects that receive public capital grants. Government agencies are required to set aside 25 percent of state contracts for minority enterprise, but private groups such as nonprofits, hospitals and independent colleges are not.
“Simply put, the rising tide should lift all ships,” said state Sen. Verna Jones, a Baltimore City Democrat who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus. “Right now, there is no process in place to really follow up on whether minority-business enterprises are utilized and at what level.”
The board of Gov. Martin O?Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp expressed support for a policy change but did not vote on the measure after private groups questioned whether Maryland could legally mandate requirements for private entities.
Franchot said they?ve asked Attorney General Doug Gansler for advice.
The state will spend more than $74 million this year to support capital projects, including nearly $6 million for a library shared by Loyola College and the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. That project was criticized for excluding minority contractors at a board meeting two weeks ago.
Loyola College President the Rev. Brian Linnane called the comments “grossly unfair.” He said the college solicited dozens of minority contractors for the project, but only five submitted bids. Three received awards, he said.
Erik Wexler, president of Northwest Hospital, said his firm also recruits minority firms for construction projects.
“We shouldn?t be required to do this, but if we are, we will certainly abide,” Wexler said. “We should want to do this.”
