Governor’s Workshops for Local Leaders

Dept of Business & Economic Development Stimulus plan/outreach to businesses - Hannah Byron, Assistant Secretary

March  4, 2009

Mr. Patoka:  Our next speaker is a very familiar face to anyone in the Baltimore area, Hannah Byron, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Business and Economic Development.   

Ms. Byron:   I'm giving him something right now relative to the stimulus that I'll talk to you about.   It's nice to be here.  I'm representing Christian Johanson, who is our new Secretary of the Department of  Business and Economic Development. 

And DBED is very excited.  Our role is a little different than the roles you've heard about  from the other agencies.  We will be playing a very central and aggressive role in identifying State and Federal contracts and opportunities for businesses, working closely with the Governor's Statestat office and also with the Governor's grants office.  You'll be hearing from Eric in a little bit.  And then communicating those opportunities in a very comprehensive outreach strategy to get the word out. 

We will be using the Governor's website, the www.recovery.maryland.gov , that is going to be the most critical tool for us.  I really commend the office for getting that up and running.  But that is going to be where we put our information, in terms of the contracts and the opportunities for businesses. 

We'll also be establishing a business alliance program and we will be launching a business outreach program.  And in terms of outreach, I also just want to take a minute to congratulate DOT.  I don't know if you've seen the New York Times today, but the publicity about DOT and Maryland and how they're using the stimulus money -- it was only one of two States that really got that kind of highlighting.  So I commend DOT for that. 

We will be arranging for a press roll-out, both print and radio, explaining the opportunities for Maryland businesses.  DBED will host workshops for businesses detailing how to best take advantage of these new opportunities and DBED representatives will arrange one on one meetings with business leaders to explain new opportunities.  So we're going to actually go after you and make sure that you're aware of what's out there. 

We will create an E-blast campaign to keep Maryland companies informed.  We maintain a current list with 23,000 Maryland businesses and these messages will be very short and to the point, but basically informing you of new information opportunities and then linking back to the website.   

Step Five, we're going to establish the Business Alliance Program utilizing the newly constituted Economic Development Commission.  And our other business trade groups and organizations and stakeholders to collaboratively  promote and market the stimulus outreach initiative. 

And Izzy touched on some of the elements of  the website.  But I just wanted to go over some of them, because I think this is going to be so important. 

It is going to be an easy and transparent system, because the website, it's going to -- you're going to be able to search online for available business opportunities, register for automated updates on the Federal stimulus, contracting opportunities, you'll be able to monitor contract activity by type and location. 

You'll be able to look at -- you know, put in searchable words.  There will be contracts organized by agency or type, GSI mapping of the contract, company profile management, prominent area for how to report business wins and general links on information pertaining to applying for Federal contracts. 

So we're going to be trying to make it as easy as possible. 

And again, I mentioned establishing a network of Maryland business organizations and stakeholders, so we're going to work together to get this information out.  And we're looking to reach at least 500 companies Statewide and to be able to demonstrate the  stimulus opportunities on the website and encourage companies to register on DBED's contracting website as well. 

In terms of actual funds that flow through our agency, the only one at this point that I'm aware of --  the rest will be again contracts --  Federal and local opportunities that we will try and  bird-dog and get that information to you, but -- is  the National Endowment of the Arts.  $50 million was included in the stimulus package and $20 million will go to the states, $30 million will go to grants to nonprofit arts organizations, the caveat is  that you will have had to have received any aid funding over the past four years. 

So we will be receiving about -- we think at this point about $318,000, once I get this document signed.  But -- and again, that information will be on the recovery website as well, as we get further information and clarification from the National Endowment of the Arts.

So thank you very much.  And I'm here to take any questions later.   (Applause.)

Mr. Patoka:  Thank you very much, Hannah.

 

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