Procurement Compliance Bulletin
February 20, 2026
By: Tiara Randolph
Happy Black History Month & Happy Valentine’s Day!
Founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 and formerly known as Negro History Week, Black History Month was first recognized nationally in 1976. It has been observed for nearly 50 years as a time to honor the contributions and lasting impact of Black Americans, whose leadership and innovation have shaped education, public administration, and entrepreneurship across our nation. Their achievements continue to strengthen our economy and communities.
In procurement, this observance reminds us of the importance of expanding access to contracting opportunities for small, minority and veteran owned businesses. This February, we encourage agencies to increase participation in the Small Business Reserve (SBR), Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE), and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) programs. Increasing the number of certified firms allows more procurements to be designated as SBR and creates greater opportunities for contracts with MBE and VSBE goals.
Valentine’s Day also serves as a reminder of the value of strong partnerships and collaboration in procurement. Thank you for your continued dedication to public services and supplier diversity.
"I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go." -Langston Hughes, Poet & Social Activist
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FY2026 Quarter 2 Reporting Period Has Ended
The FY2026 Quarter 2 reporting period has officially closed. This reporting period covered activity from July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.
As we are in the middle of FY26 QTR 3, which closes on March 31, 2026, here are a few friendly reminders regarding MBE Quarterly Report submissions:
- FY2026 Quarterly reporting and submission is MANDATORY, and timely submission is critical and must include the following:
- Participating units that fail to submit the required data by the deadline will be noted in the quarterly report.
- Quarterly reports do not require signatures.
- OSBA has 15 days following the submission deadline to prepare the statewide quarterly report for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Board of Public Works, and the Governor’s Cabinet.
If you have any questions or need one-on-one assistance, please reach out to your assigned MBE Compliance Managers, Karen Reyes and Tiara Randolph.
Designated MBE Compliance Manager One-on-One Scheduling
Each MBE Compliance Manager has been assigned to specific participating agencies to provide more tailored and hands-on assistance. Click the link to view who your designated MBE compliance manager is: OSBA Assigned MBE Liaison Template.pdf
Below, are Karen Reyes and Tiara Randolph's Calendly links to make it easy for you to schedule one-on-one sessions whenever you need guidance or have questions. We look forward to collaborating with you to ensure your success as an MBE liaison.
Karen Reyes Calendly Link
Tiara Randolph Calendly Link
Feel free to reach out via email as well:
Karen Reyes - karen.reyes@maryland.gov
Tiara Randolph - tiara.randolph@maryland.gov
FY2026 2nd Quarterly Reporting Has Ended
Note that the 2nd Quarter SBR Reports were due on January 30, 2026. Thank you to the units that submitted the reports!
For the Quarterly Reports, friendly remember that:
- Quarterly reporting is MANDATORY, and submission of the data is critical. The quarterly report will note participating units that fail to submit the required data on time.
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Quarterly Reports do not have to be signed.
- OSBA prepares a statewide quarterly report for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Board of Public Works, and the Governor’s Cabinet.
- The FY2026 SBR QTR Reporting Instructions and Template have been revised since FY2025. The Instructions/Template have been updated to include Small Business Preference (SBP) awards/payments data. This information is available in the SBR Reporting Toolkit. Please make certain that the new template is being utilized.
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One-on-one training and assistance to address any questions or concerns about SBR waivers, reporting, CSB certification, outreach, or training assistance are available. Please email your SBR Compliance Manager to schedule a meeting.
Tanita Johnson - tanita.johnson1@maryland.gov
Program Updates
As of August 29, 2025:
- A certification for a small business is referred to as a Certified Small Business (CSB), not SBR. SBR is a Program, not a certification. There are SBR designated procurements that are awarded to CSBs.
- Recertifications & new certifications for CSB vendors will be every 3 years, instead of every year.
As of October 1, 2025:
A procurement with a total dollar value OF $1,000,000 OR LESS shall be designated for the Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW GROUP: Guidance and Worksheets and BEST PRACTICES: Small Business Reserve (SBR) Implementation Guidelines have been updated on the Department of General Services (DGS) Office of State Procurement's (OSP) website to reflect these changes.
What Does Your Agency Need to Do?
- Update your website and any materials that reference SBR vendors to CSB terminology
- Encourage any vendors during outreach to recertify (CSB) when it is their time, so the 3-year timeframe can take effect.
VSBE Compliance
As we embark on the upcoming legislative session, OSBA will be making changes to the VSBE Compliance COMAR chapter. If you have inputs of specific items you deem necessary to be included, please provide those suggestions to the VSBE Compliance Manager via email ASAP.
Let's be more intentional in Q3 & Q4!
As your unit has submitted the midpoint fiscal year VSBE total dollars awarded, please review to see how your unit's progress towards 3%. To address any questions or concerns about VSBE certification, outreach, training, or reporting, please contact the VSBE Compliance Manager.
Danielle Davis - danielle.davis2@maryland.gov.
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