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Government Contracting

Government Contracting

Montgomery County’s unique location allows for doing business not just with local and regional governments, but the federal government as well. See below for access to some of these federal contracting opportunities.

Government Contracting & Certification

Businesses engaged in government contracting are in good company in Montgomery County. Government Contracting is a strategic industry in the County and certification can add a competitive edge to companies interested in pursuing government work. 

Montgomery County Procurement Resources

  • Montgomery County Office of Procurement, provides information and guidelines regarding the purchase of services and products by Montgomery County government.
  • The Montgomery County Inter-Agency Central Vendor Registration System is a collaborative effort between Montgomery County Government, Montgomery College, Montgomery County Public Schools, the Housing Opportunities Commission and the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission to provide a one-stop registration system for companies who are interested in providing goods and services to any of the five county agencies. 
  • Montgomery County Minority, Female, Disabled (MFD) Program. Montgomery County has developed an initiative to support and assist MFD firms in obtaining government contracts in an effort to increase the amount of contracts awarded to minority vendors.   
  • Montgomery County Local Small Business Reserve Program (LSBRP).  The LSBRP was established to increase the utilization of Montgomery County-based small businesses for county purchases. County departments are required to seek local businesses for procurement opportunities.
  • Pre-Bid Meetings - Check the Office of Procurement solicitation listings for opportunities that include pre-bid or pre-submission meetings. These meetings provide an opportunity for potential vendors to learn more about a solicitation, interact with other vendors and the procurement team and buying department. 
  • Bid Holders List - Formal solicitations include a list of bid holders which could represent potential partners or clients for contractors. Click on the solicitation number for an opportunity to access the bid holders list. 

State and Local Agencies Procurement Resources

Federal Government Procurement Programs and Resources

  • beta.sam.gov -- This site is the official source for Federal Government Contracting Opportunities. Anyone interested in doing business with the government can use this system to research active opportunities.
  • The  System for Award Management (SAM) is an official website of the U.S. government. There is no cost to use SAM. You can use this site for FREE to:
  • Register to do business with the U.S. government
  • Update or renew your entity registration
  • Check status of an entity registration
  • Search for entity registration and exclusion records
  • GSA's Federal Supply Schedules also known as Multiple Award Schedules (MAS), are contracts that allow federal customers to acquire more than 4 million services and products directly from more than 8,600 commercial suppliers. Under the schedules program, GSA enters into contracts with commercial firms to provide supplies and services at stated prices for given periods of time.
  • The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Government Contracting Programs to assist small, woman, minority and veteran-owned and disadvantaged business owners obtain or increase government contracts.

Procurement Assistance and Support

Minority Business Certification

Government agencies and many private employers have programs to encourage procurement by local, women, minority, veteran, and/or disabled-owned firms. Certification by an independent third party is often required. The following organizations offer certification, as noted:

  • The  Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is Maryland's official certification agency for the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program which includes certified Women-Owned businesses, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Program, and Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program. MDOT certification is recognized by Maryland and many local governments and agencies, including Montgomery County.

  • Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), offers certification for Women Business Enterprises (WBE), which is widely recognized by the private sector and some governments.
  • U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), manages several certification programs including for  Hub Zone, 8(a), Women Owned, and Veteran-owned & Service Disabled Veteran-owned enterprises that seek to qualify for federal contracting opportunities with the federal government.
  • Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council, offers certification for Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), offers certification for Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) recognized by the private sector and some governments.
  • City of Baltimore, certifies Minority-Owned Business Enterprises and Women's Business Enterprises through the Minority and Women's Business Opportunity Office.