Overview of the significant events from Philly's three-state Black Chamber excursion, aimed at readying for the year 2026
Black-Owned Businesses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware Gain Ground in Government Contracting
Black-owned businesses in the tri-state area are seeing increased opportunities to contract with state, county, and city municipalities, thanks to efforts at the local and regional level to expand inclusive business participation. The African American Chamber of Commerce for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware (AACC) is at the forefront of this movement, advocating and organizing to prepare Black-owned businesses for upcoming contracting opportunities.
The state governments of Pennsylvania and Maryland are taking proactive steps to ensure Black businesses participate in the economy through public contracting. Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis, as well as Maryland's Governor Wes Moore, are seen as champions of this cause, demonstrating regional momentum on these goals.
The AACC conducts regional tours and workshops across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, educating Black-owned businesses on navigating government contracts at various levels and building relationships with elected officials. The chamber also provides back-office support, such as accounting, legal, HR, and marketing services, to improve contract competitiveness.
Established minority contractors, like IMC Construction based in Pennsylvania, are demonstrating the expanding footprint and capacity of Black-owned businesses to secure large municipal and regional contracts. These success stories and market expansions show the real potential for Black-owned businesses in this sector.
Local municipalities are also prioritizing small businesses and historically disadvantaged business contracting. In Pennsylvania, initiatives are underway to diversify the contracting pool in larger communities like Allegheny, Montgomery counties, and Philadelphia. Philadelphia, in particular, is preparing for a surge of visitors in 2026 for the country's semiquincentennial, and the city is aligning this with broader contracting opportunities for disadvantaged businesses locally.
The AACC is focusing on helping Black-owned businesses that are primarily operated by sole proprietors and have no employees. The organization is also looking to support Black-owned businesses in merging or acquiring each other to create bigger companies that could qualify for government contracts to meet the needs of a municipality.
In conclusion, Black-owned businesses in these three states have access to increasing government contracting opportunities through state and municipal programs, advocacy by the African American Chamber of Commerce, and targeted support services. This is especially important as local governments boost efforts to create inclusive economic growth unique to their jurisdictions. The ongoing capacity-building efforts aim to help smaller sole-proprietors scale to compete for contracts in a complex economic landscape.
- The increase in government contracting opportunities for Black-owned businesses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware is not only based on local efforts, but also on proactive steps taken by state governments like Pennsylvania and Maryland, with governors such as Josh Shapiro, Austin Davis, and Wes Moore championing this cause.
- With the African American Chamber of Commerce providing education, workshops, and back-office support, Black-owned businesses in the tri-state area are given the necessary tools to navigate complex government contracting at various levels, aiming to grow and secure lucrative contracts that can promote inclusive economic development in the region.
