Equity Initiative: County Executive Alsobrooks Works to Address Historical Discrimination Against Minority/Women-owned Business

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Angela Alsobrooks
U.S. Senator | Maryland

Equity Initiative: County Executive Alsobrooks Works to Address Historical Discrimination Against Minority/Women-owned Business

Idea Category: Equity & Opportunity, Jobs and Entrepreneurship

County Executive Angela Alsobrooks made it a priority of her administration to investigate any discriminatory practices in awarding county contracts to minority and women-owned businesses. In October 2022, she released the results of Prince George’s County’s Utilization and Availability Study, also known as the Disparity Study which reported the historical disparities in the use of Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) and their availability in the marketplace. This study found historical disparity in the use of certain Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises and this concrete evidence allows the County to move forward with legislation to “[ensures] minority-and women-owned businesses have equal opportunity to provide goods and services to [the] County,” added Alsobrooks. The County will set regulations requiring potential new businesses to subcontract to a percentage of historically underutilized businesses, with the goal of making small and minority-owned businesses the backbone of the local economy. In addition, Alsobrooks points to the potential for families to build generational wealth in the County with thriving businesses.