Montgomery County Council Passes Expedited Bill 37-23 to Extend the Sunset Date for the County’s Minority, Female, and Disabled-Owned Business Purchasing Program - MocoFeed

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, December 6, 2023

From the Offices of Councilmembers Laurie-Anne Sayles and Will Jawando

On Tuesday, Dec. 5, the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed Expedited Bill 37-23, Contracts and Procurement – Minority Owned Businesses – Sunset Date – Amendments . At-large Councilmembers Laurie-Anne Sayles and Will Jawando introduced the bill on Sept. 26, and all other Councilmembers signed on as cosponsors. The bill extends the sunset date for the County’s minority-owned business purchasing program and generally amends the law regarding procurement.

“I am pleased that we are extending the Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned Business (MFD) Program with the unanimous support of our colleagues as we await the results of an updated Disparity Study to understand our progress and how we can ensure success moving forward,” said Councilmember Sayles. “ Forty five percent of Montgomery County businesses are minority-owned, and over 50,000 residents are employed by minority-owned businesses, underscoring the contributions of these businesses to a strong economy and the tremendous need to continue supporting our MFD program.”

“Expedited Bill 37-23 underlines our commitment to create a level playing field for all businesses in Montgomery County,” said Councilmember Jawando. “The success of our minority, female and disabled-owned businesses is a key indicator of our County’s overall economic health. This bill is a proactive step to protect our commitment to diversity and fairness in our procurement processes.”

The Executive Branch is working with a contractor to conduct a disparity study that will include a recommendation on how to continue the MFD program beyond the sunset date. The Council expects a draft report on this study in March 2024. However, due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action earlier this year, we have experienced complications and delays.

The last study on MFD businesses in the County was in 2014. In FY22, for the latest annual report, the County awarded $212,449,525 to MFD businesses, equating to more than 26 percent of the total procurement dollars ($816,175,595) subject to the MFD program.

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Montgomery County Council Passes Expedited Bill 37-23 to Extend the Sunset Date for the County’s Minority, Female, and Disabled-Owned Business Purchasing Program – MocoFeed