WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 497

(a) (1) The Secretary shall contract with a public agency,
an institution of higher education, or a private contractor in
each major region of the State to serve as a PRIMARY OR SECONDARY
small business [extension service] DEVELOPMENT CENTER contractor.

(2)  One contractor shall be retained within each of
the following regions:

(i) Western: Garrett, Allegany, AND
Washington[, Frederick, and Carroll] counties;

(ii) Central: Howard, CARROLL, ANNE ARUNDEL,
HARFORD, CECIL, and Baltimore counties and Baltimore City;

(iii) Southern: [Anne Arundel,] Calvert,
Charles, and St. Mary's counties;

(iv) [Eastern: Harford, Cecil,] UPPER SHORE:
Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, AND Dorchester[, Wicomico,
Somerset, and Worcester] counties; [and]

(v) Suburban Washington: Montgomery, FREDERICK,
and Prince George's counties; AND

(VI) LOWER SHORE: SOMERSET, WICOMICO, AND
WORCESTER COUNTIES.

(3) ONE OR MORE SECONDARY CONTRACTORS MAY BE SELECTED
TO OPERATE SATELLITE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS WITHIN A
REGION.

(3) (4) Each contractor shall utilize the expertise
of successful business persons, educational institutions, public
officials, the Federal Small Business Administration, and other
private or public resources to provide extension services to
small businesses within the designated region.

(4) (5) The Department shall coordinate with the
contractors for each designated area to effectuate the purposes
of this subtitle.

(5) EACH REGION SHALL RECEIVE NOT LESS THAN 10
PERCENT NOR MORE THAN 20 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO THE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE PROGRAM.

(6) EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS
SECTION, EACH PRIMARY CONTRACTOR IN A REGION SHALL RECEIVE NOT
LESS THAN 8 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR
THE PROGRAM.

(B) (1) IN ANY CASE WHERE ONLY 1 SECONDARY CONTRACTOR IS
SELECTED, THE SECONDARY CONTRACTOR MAY NOT RECEIVE LESS THAN 5
PERCENT OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE.

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