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Baltimore City Council proposes LGBTQBE program

Baltimore City Council is considering legislation introduced by Councilwoman Odette Ramos, of the 14th District, which would establish a LGBTQ-owned business enterprise (LGBTQBE) program. The bill, referred to as Imari's LGBTQ Procurement Preference Act provides that the program would be established under the Minority and Women's Business Opportunity Office (MWBOO).

The bill follows a 2018 executive order from former Mayor Catherine Pugh, which called for "procurement policies and practices to specifically recognize and identify LGBTQ-owned business entities". The executive order, however, made provision for the City to simply recognize LGBTQBEs by relying on the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)'s list. The order specified that any provisions for using LGBTQBE status as a criteria for the strength of a bid would need to be made via legislation. The Act attempts to provide that legislation.

If passed, the Act would require MWBOO to formulate contract goals and affirmative procurement initiatives for LGBTQBE utilization, as well as tracking such utilization, submitting annual reports on the LGBTQBE program, and to review applications for LGBTQBE status. The Act also authorizes the Board of Estimates to give LGBTQBEs a 10 percent price preference on bids, and allows the City to give LGBTQBEs a 10 percent preference in points when responding to an RFP.

There would be a two-year period following passage of the Act in which the City would be allotted time to being a LGBTQBE disparity study in order to justify the goals and preferences contained in the Act. In hearings on the Act, representatives for MWBOO stressed the need for more funding to ensure that MWBOO can complete its current objectives as well as take on the logistics of a new business certification program.

Read the bill at https://baltimore.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4793134&GUID=28C0BCAF-E0C8-43B6-9D50-7054F024572B&Options=&Search=&FullText=1.