By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
The 16th annual MBE Night in Annapolis took place on Feb. 20, bringing together minority business owners and government officials to network and discuss opportunities in state contracting. The gathering, which is led by the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, is the state’s largest conference for minority business enterprises (MBEs).
This year, the event became even more important as assaults and bans on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts continue to proliferate across the federal government.
“We are gathered tonight at a time where celebrating diversity, inclusion and our Blackness is under attack,” said Rep. Jheanelle Wilkins, D-District 20, chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. “This space is under attack, and we know that having an opportunity and chance is what we advocate for. We don’t want a handout. We want the door open. We want access.”
As part of the conference, Wilkins engaged in a fireside chat with Department of General Services (DGS) Chief Procurement Officer Wallace Sermons, who highlighted key legislation to strengthen state contracting.
One was an executive order that Gov. Wes Moore signed in December 2024. The directive seeks to create a more efficient, equitable and competitive procurement system with strategies, like boosting compliance with MBE and VSBE contract goals, ensuring competitive pricing and expanding participation for small and socioeconomically disadvantaged businesses.
“We have taken the opportunity to advance our ability to increase MBE goals,” said Sermons. “Generally, you can only have goals at the onset of a contract. Now, anytime there’s a modification, a time or option, we’re able to increase those goals.”
The executive order also changes certification requirements, allowing MBEs to re-certify every three years instead of annually, and calls for open communication between agencies and contractors.
“I’ve heard from so many vendors that they can’t reach out and speak to the government buyers,” said Sermons. “Now, you can have that conversation. The governor, through executive order, memorialized that. You have a seat at the table.”
Though the 47th president has sought to terminate DEI in federal contracting and spending, Maryland procurement initiatives, like the MBE, Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Programs, are still accessible to entrepreneurs.
Sermons explained that DEI attacks from the White House center on the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on race, gender and sexual orientation. The 47th president contends that DEI programs violate the clause because they disadvantage White communities.
However, Sermons said these procurement programs are based on rebuttable presumption, a legal assumption that is taken as true unless proven otherwise. With MBE programs, the assumption is that minority groups have historically faced discrimination in business and contracting, leading them to be economically disadvantaged. Disparity studies help to prove this.
Challengers to Maryland’s MBE Program and others must be able to prove that discrimination is no longer an issue.
“I would encourage those in this room to think about your unique circumstances,” said Sermons. “If it does come time that we reach out to you or need to make changes to our programs to fortify the state, I need you to think about how you have been discriminated against.”
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