Buyer sourcing guide · Maryland
How to Find Certified Diverse Suppliers in Maryland
Maryland's Department of Transportation runs the state's certified Minority (MBE), Disadvantaged (DBE), and Small Business Enterprise directory, with oversight from the Governor's Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs.
By Mario Bailey, Editor-in-Chief · Reviewed against official Maryland and federal sources · Last verified July 2026
Heads up
Verify DBE status carefully right now: under the USDOT Interim Final Rule issued October 3, 2025, existing DBE and ACDBE certifications are being re-evaluated and may not be counted toward contract goals until a firm is recertified. Confirm a firm's current status before relying on it.
Maryland state directories
Start with the official state directory. It lists firms Maryland has certified, and it is the source public buyers and prime contractors use to confirm a firm counts toward state and federally funded contract goals.
MDOT Directory of Certified MBE/DBE/SBE Firms
Maryland's searchable directory of firms certified as MBE, DBE, SBE, and ACDBE for state and USDOT-assisted contracts, searchable by the products and services each firm is certified to provide.
Open the directory ↗Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council
The regional National Minority Supplier Development Council affiliate serving Maryland. Corporate buyers source certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) through its network.
Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council ↗Federal set-aside firms in Maryland
For federal contracts and subcontracting plans, search SAM.gov and filter by location and socioeconomic status: 8(a), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB), and HUBZone. These are separate from the state and council certifications above, and buyers count them differently.
Verify before you rely on a certification
A certificate on its own is not proof. Before you count a Maryland supplier toward a diverse spend goal or a subcontracting plan:
- Confirm the record is active, not expired, in the issuing directory above.
- Check the certification type matches what your program counts. MBE, DBE, WOSB, and CBE are not interchangeable.
- Keep a dated screenshot or export of the directory record for your compliance file.
More Maryland resources
- Maryland certification and contracting programs on SupplierDiversity.com.
- The national directories (NMSDC, WBENC, NGLCC, Disability:IN, NaVOBA) for suppliers certified outside Maryland.
- Every certifying body, what it certifies, and how to verify.
A diverse business in Maryland?
Get certified so buyers find you in these directories. Our guide covers every certification, what it costs, and how to apply.
How to get certified →