Business Friendly Baltimore

Baltimore is Business Friendly: With over 14,000 businesses and a diverse economy, Baltimore’s workforce equates to over 266,000 employees. Through the Baltimore Development Corporation many economic incentives for businesses are easily accessible. Including: Enterprise Zone, HUB Zone, One Maryland Job Credit, New Market Tax Credits, Workforce training grants, Low-interest gap financing loans, Foreign Trade Zone, Research and Development/Manufacturing Personal Property tax exemptions, and many other financial incentives.

Contracting with the Federal Government: Baltimore City has many resources to help your business contract with the Federal government. For example, Baltimore is part of the largest HUB Zone in Maryland and the Baltimore Development Corporation has contacts at the Maryland Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAP), and through the local Small Business Administration offices.  

Maryland Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAP): PTAP is the State organization best able to assist with “Selling to the Government”. Sponsored by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Defense Logistics Agency and the University of Maryland, PTAP provides companies with access to experienced government contracting and procurement specialists.

Utilizing the Automated Bid Matching Service, PTAP scans over 400 agencies daily for opportunities, including FedBizOpps, Defense Logistic Agency and international, state and local agencies. PTAP is available by phone toll free at 866-228-0432x27 or electronically at www.mdptap.umd.edu.

Baltimore’s HUB Zones: The HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) Empowerment Contracting Program provides Federal contacting preferences in urban areas. The purpose is to stimulate economic development and create jobs. Typically, when competing with non-HUB Zone businesses, a HUB Zone certified businesses is considered the lowest bidder if they are within 10 percentage points of the lowest bid.  

Generally, there are four contracting opportunities with HUB Zone designation:

1) Competitive: Contracts can be set-aside for HUBZone competition when the contracting officer has a reasonable expectation that at least two qualified HUBZone small business concerns (SBCs) will submit offers and that the contract will be awarded at a fair market price.

2) Sole-source: HUBZone contracts can be awarded if the contracting officer determines that:

Classification System (NAICS) code for manufacturing or

• only one qualified HUBZone SBC is responsible to perform the contract,
   
• two or more qualified HUBZone SBCs are not likely to submit offers and the anticipated award price of the proposed contract, including options, will not exceed:
  • $5 million for a requirement within the North American Industry
     
  • $3 million for a requirement within all other NAICS code

3) Full and open competitive contracts can be awarded with a price evaluation preference. The offer of the HUBZone small business must not be ten percent higher than the offer of a non-small business.

4) Subcontracting: All subcontracting plans for large business Federal contractors must include a HUBZone subcontracting goal.

Requirements: To become HUBZone certified, at least 35% of a company’s employees must be located within a HUB Zone and the company must also maintain a “principal office” in one of these specifically designated areas. All Federal agencies must now adhere to the HUBZone contracting priority guidelines. For more information, please visit the Small Business Administration website:  http://www.sba.gov/hubzone

Baltimore and HUBZones: HUBZone areas of Baltimore City are substantial-over 15,000 acres of land are in Baltimore’s HUB Zone. The Westport BRAC Zone is a federally designated HUB Zone. Take a look at BDC’s HUB Zone/Enterprise Zone and Foreign Trade Zone overlay map for more information on Baltimore’s HUB Zone locations.  

Baltimore is Affordable: Residential and commercial properties are more affordable in Baltimore. Whether you are looking to rehab a property to meet your specific needs or start with all new construction, Baltimore’s commercial properties are very affordable with incredible access to all major highways and rail carriers. Ask the BDC staff for listing of available commercial properties for sale/lease that meet your specifications.  

Residential Property Comparison: 

Commercial Property in Baltimore City:

Information provided by the State of Maryland’s Baltimore Fact Sheet.

If you need a realtor, please visit the Greater Baltimore Association of Realtors.