The Baltimore City Department of Public Works was named a finalist in the Greater Baltimore Committee’s 14th Annual Bridging the Gap Achievement Awards.  The awards were presented November 1 during a ceremony honoring businesses and minority and women-owned firms for business achievement and efforts to strengthen minority business development. 

DPW, along with consulting firm Louis Berger, were finalists in the category of Partnership/Strategic Alliance including minority or women-owned businesses.  This honor was for the DPW Small Business Development Program, a 10-week training that supports economic and business growth in Baltimore City by helping small-business owners boost their ability to compete for city construction contracts.  The success of the program has been proven with more than 25% of alumni from last year’s first program already having been pre-qualified, M/W/DBE certified, or winning contracts with the City of Baltimore.

DPW also offers a one-day “Stormwater Construction Opportunities for Contractors Workshop.”  Through this event, contractors learn pre-qualification requirements and minority business participation goals for the millions of dollars of city stormwater and stream restoration projects.  

GBC’s Bridging the Gap Achievement Awards recognize exceptional projects like DPW’s that nurture the development of minority businesses in greater Baltimore and Maryland. Morgan state University along with Universities Space Research Association were also named as finalists in this category. 

Bridging the Gap Award finalists and winners were selected from nominations submitted by businesses, civic organizations, employees, customers, elected officials and government agencies. 

Other awards DPW has captured for its work include being named a “Utility of the Future Today.”  In October, DPW received a Gold Award in Exceptional Utility Performance from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA).  In September, DPW received the Small Project of the Year award from the County Engineers Association of Maryland (CEAM) for the proactive repair of the Southwest Transmission Main; the agency received a bronze excellence award for the Citywide Municipal Trash Can Program from the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA).