.01 General — Purpose.

This chapter provides that maximum contracting opportunities be extended to certified minority business enterprises, as both prime contractors and subcontractors, and establishes that:

A. The Special Secretary of the Governor's Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation and the Attorney General, shall establish the overall percentage certified MBE participation goal through regulation on a biennial basis.

B. The overall percentage certified MBE participation goal set forth in §C applies until a different percentage goal is established in accordance with §A of this regulation.

C. Each procurement agency shall:

(1) Structure its procurement procedures to try to achieve an overall goal of 29 percent of the unit's total dollar value of all procurement contracts made directly or indirectly from certified minority business enterprises; and

(2) Apply the guidelines established by the Special Secretary of the Office of Minority Affairs for determining the subgoals to be set for the groups listed in State Finance and Procurement Article, §14-301(j)(1)(i)1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, Annotated Code of Maryland.

D. To the maximum extent feasible, procurement agencies shall use race-neutral measures in meeting the goals under §C of this regulation;

E. Each procurement agency shall work with the Office of Minority Affairs to designate certain contracts to be procured without any certified MBE participation goals.