Baltimore City Public Works Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E., has announced that the Small Business Development (SBD) Program Closing Ceremony will be held at 6:00 p.m. tonight, Thursday, December 5 at the Morgan State University’s Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management, 4200 Hillen Road. 

This event will celebrate the completion of the 4th year of DPW’s ten-week Small Business Development Program.  This year’s capacity class of 73 participants from businesses throughout Maryland will be on-hand to receive their graduation certificates.  Already the program has a waiting list of over 40 participants for the 2020 SBD training program.

The Small Business Development program supports economic and business development in Baltimore City and throughout the region.  It provides training to do business with City government for minority, women and disadvantaged businesses.  In 2017, the SBD program was a finalist for the 14th annual Bridging the Gap Achievement Award.  Class enrollment also now includes businesses and entrepreneurs from as far away as Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida.

Since its inception in 2016, the SBD program has graduated nearly 250, with successful alumni going on to become M/WBE certified, pre-qualified, and to actively engage in Baltimore’s infrastructure modernization, with contract awards exceeding $3M.

The program was created to address needs for Baltimore area small businesses in training, qualification and certification to compete for business with the City.  Course offerings include skill-building in project management, contract management, and networking, procurement, and OSHA certification.

The Modified Consent Decree for sewer rehabilitation along with other capital improvement projects for drinking water, storm water, and wastewater facilities provide an extraordinary opportunity for small businesses to do business with Baltimore City.  SBD serves as an economic engine that ties businesses to job opportunities.