DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL & ECONOMIC MOBILITY

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

[photo, 100 Community Place, Crownsville, Maryland] The Department of Social and Economic Mobility was authorized by the General Assembly in October 2025 (Chapter 605, Acts of 2025).

With the formation of the Department, three main offices were brought under its direction: the Office of Small and Minority Business Enterprise, formerly part of the Department of Transportation; the Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs; and the Office of Social Equity.

100 Community Place, Crownsville, MD, July 2016. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

OFFICE OF SMALL & MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE

Within the Department of Transportation, the Office of Small and Minority Business Enterprise began as the Office of Minority and Business Enterprise. It later was renamed the Office of Small and Minority Business Enterprise. In October 2025, the Office joined the newly formed Department of Social and Economic Mobility.

The Office coordinates and administers the Minority Business Enterprise Program and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. Moreover, the Office certifies businesses for participation in the State's Minority Business Enterprise Program and the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. Designated by the Board of Public Works, the Office is the only State agency to make such certifications.

Established by the General Assembly in 1978, the Marylansd's Minority Business Enterprise Program encourages minority-owned businesses to participate in the State procurement process (Chapter 575, Acts of 1978). At least 25% of contracts awarded by State agencies are reserved for businesses certified by the Office of Small and Minority Business Enterprise To be eligible, a business must be at least 51% -owned and -controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged persons who may be African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, Native American, female, or disabled. Further, a business must meet eligibility requirements for personal net worth.

OFFICE OF SMALL, MINORITY, & WOMEN BUSINESS AFFAIRS

OFFICE OF SOCIAL EQUITY

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