About
Local businesses in Howard County are a pivotal driver in our local economy. Whenever possible, Howard County procurement dollars should be spent to support the local businesses that serve as a strong pillar in our economy.
Howard County is committed to creating a competitive and balanced economic environment within the County by ensuring community growth through the Local Business Initiative. The goal of the Local Business Initiative is to promote the growth and success of local businesses and to increase the percentage of County procurement dollars flowing to local businesses.
Under the Local Business Initiative, County Departments and agencies are encouraged to select and prioritize local businesses when purchasing goods or services that are under $10,000.00.
Additionally, under the Local Business Initiative:
- Written quotations for Informal Quotes ($10,001 - $29,999) from certified local businesses will be obtained whenever possible.
- Contracts may be awarded to certified local businesses that submit a competitive sealed bid within 10% of a low bid by a non-local firm.
- Certain solicitations will contain an evaluation factor up to 10% of the total points for certified local businesses.
- Certain low bid awards for non-capital projects will be awarded to a local business if there is a tie for lowest bid with a non-local business.
For purposes of the Local Business Initiative, a local business is defined as an applicant that maintains its principal place of business in Howard County. If your business meets this eligibility criterion, and you are interested in certifying with Howard County as a local business, please complete the Local Business Initiative Certification Application using the link below.
Local Business Initiative Certification Application and Directory
In order to fill out the Local Business Initiative Certification Application, or to search our database of certified vendors please click here. When searching the database, select Local Business Enterprise (LBE) as the certification type in your search criteria.
*For information on our Local Business Initiative in Spanish, Click here