Charles County Small Local Business Enterprise Program (SLBE)

Charles County Government Buys Local!

Charles County supports our local, small businesses through our Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) Program. Certified SLBE vendors get exclusive access to certain county government procurements and preferences for others.

To qualify for the program, your Charles County-based businesses must be certified in the State of Maryland's Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program and registered with eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA).

Download your Charles County SLBE application:

SLBE Application (PDF)

SLBE Criteria

Businesses must:

• Be a for-profit business and independently owned (no brokers or subsidiaries)
• Have its headquarters located in Charles County, or have a branch or satellite office in Charles County that generates at least 25% of the company’s annual gross sales or has 25% of its full-time equivalent employees residing in Charles County
• Meet Maryland SBR industry specific thresholds for gross sales and employees

The SLBE program is race and gender neutral. However, if you run a minority owned or woman owned business, you may also participate in the County’s MWBE program. Simply complete an addendum with the SLBE application to also receive MWBE designation. (See application or webpage for criteria.)

SLBE Advantages

Informal Procurements

All procurements under $25,000 (informal procurements) are exclusively reserved for qualifying SLBE businesses as long as there are at least three registered SLBE firms qualified to submit quotes.

If fewer than three SLBE firms are available SLBE bidders may receive an advantage over non-SLBE bidders.

Formal Procurements

The County offers preferences to SLBE firms bidding on County formal solicitations valued between $25,000 to $500,000.

• Invitation to Bid (ITB)
  Up to five percent (5%) cost greater than the lowest bidder’s bid, prorated based on documented SLBE firm participation
• Request for Proposals (RFP)
  Up to ten (10) points, prorated based on documented SLBE firm participation
• Request for Quotation (RFQ)
  Up to five percent (5%) cost greater than the lowest bidder’s bid, prorated based on documented SLBE firm participation

What does the County buy?

Charles County Government departments buy goods and services directly, with guidance and assistance from the Purchasing Division. For more information about how and what the county buys, see Charles County’s SLBE Vendor Guide (PDF).

Firms that have reached the following milestones will graduate from the SLBE program.

• Received more than $3 million in awards through the SLBE Program within any sixty-month (60) period
• Exceeded the maximum annual gross sales or maximum number of employees established in the criteria for certification in the Maryland Small Business Reserve program
• Moved their headquarters or branch/satellite office out of Charles County, Maryland, and become a non-local business

For questions and assistance, email slbe@MeetCharlesCounty.com