Free KN95 Masks Available for Calvert County Businesses
The Calvert County Department of Economic Development, in coordination with the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce and the Calvert County Health Department, have organized a KN95 mask distribution drive for local businesses.
Well-fitting KN95 masks, or “respirators,” are touted by the Centers for Disease Control as providing the highest level of protection against COVID-19 and residents are strongly encouraged to continue mask wearing to prevent the spread of the disease.
Calvert County-based businesses must register online to receive masks in bundles of 20 for use by employees or customers. Businesses do not need to be a member of the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce to receive masks. Masks will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and business owners are encouraged to pre-order enough masks to support their staff and customers for a three-week period. Masks are free, however they must be pre-ordered online at www.calvertchamber.org or by calling the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce at 410-535-2577. Unscheduled pick-ups cannot be accommodated.
Mask distribution occurs on Tuesdays, 9-11 a.m., and Thursdays, 1-3 p.m., at the following locations:
- Northeast Community Center
4075 Gordon Stinnett Ave., Chesapeake Beach
- Harriet Elizabeth Brown Community Center
901 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick
- Southern Community Center
20 Appeal Lane, Lusby
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Welcome a New Director
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners appointed Julie Oberg director of the Department of Economic Development in January 2022. Previously, she was with the State of Maryland for more than 18 years, most recently serving as the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Oberg will oversee programs and services designed to attract, retain and expand strong and dynamic businesses as well as agricultural and tourism enterprises and activities to complement Calvert County’s economy and quality of life.
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Did you know Calvert County Government is on LinkedIn?
Follow us for economic development news, job postings and more!
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Are you looking for employees?
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Get Involved with Economic Development
Every day, decisions made by Calvert County officials affect small business owners. Now is a great time to get involved by joining the Economic Development Advisory Commission (EDAC). The EDAC acts in an advisory capacity to promote, encourage and improve the county's general economic well-being. To learn more, visit online or apply here.
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2022 Visitor Guides Available
Pick up the 2022 Calvert County Visitors Guide to find information on shopping, restaurants and visitor attractions like Breezy Point Beach & Campground, Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, Calvert Marine Museum, Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum, the Calvert County Wine & Ale Trail and many other places that make Calvert County a favorite destination. View the electronic version (PDF) or request a printed copy.
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Verizon's "Small Business Digital Ready"
Verizon’s online curriculum is designed to give small businesses personalized tools to succeed in today's digital world. Learning modules, expert coaching, peer networking and more is provided in this free curriculum. Visit online for resources to help small businesses thrive in the digital economy.
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Tax Updates
If you use payment apps like Venmo, PayPal or CashApp, the new year ushered in change to an IRS tax reporting rule that could apply to some of your transactions. Payment app providers now must issue you and the IRS a Form 1099-K on your business transactions if, combined, they total more than $600 a year. The new rule, which took effect Jan. 1, doesn't impose any additional taxes on payment app users. For more information, visit here.
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Info You Can Use
At a Glance: The Calvert County Department of Economic Development compiles various data points to track the economic health of our community. These snapshots include unemployment rates, commercial vacancy rates, wages and more. To view the latest data releases or past publications, visit online.
What’s Going Where: To help our community learn about what’s coming next, this user-friendly map explores new commercial projects by ZIP code and lists recently completed projects.
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Rising Costs Challenging Your Pricing Model?
Rising costs from supply chain shortages, wage increases, inflation or the cost of raw materials can sometimes force you to raise your prices. How do you determine if a price increase is necessary? What’s the best way to communicate this change to your customers? The U.S. Chamber of Commerce offers advice and best practices in this article.
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Let's Learn About Procurement
The Calvert County Procurement Office advertises all solicitations on the State of Maryland’s bidding website, eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA), free to all vendors. Registration is not required but to automatically receive bid notifications by email, vendors must register on the eMMA website. Since all Maryland State and local agencies use this service, it can broaden your opportunity to provide goods and services statewide.
Interested in becoming a vendor to bid for Calvert County Government contracts? Below are some Q&As to help get you started:
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How are bids awarded?
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The county uses a competitive bidding process for purchase of goods and services valued at $15,000 or more. Contracts are awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. To learn more about the award process, review the county’s Procurement Policies online.
- How can I learn more about the process?
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The Procurement Office has more information on the bidding process including a list of FAQs.
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Save the Date: Crab Pot Pitch Competition
Save the date for the annual Crab Pot Pitch Competition, to be hosted Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 6 p.m.! The Crab Pot Pitch Competition is Southern Maryland’s premier pitch competition for entrepreneurs with cutting edge, disruptive and innovative technologies.
This event is hosted by Southern Maryland Innovates, an organization with the mission to grow and connect the innovation and technology entrepreneurship community in Southern Maryland.
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to the development of our newly adopted Strategic Plan and submitted ideas for action. This plan will help us achieve a number of goals and objectives to ensure Calvert County’s economy continues to recover from the COVID pandemic and our businesses, tourism and agricultural industries can continue to thrive.
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Stay connected with us! Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on the most recent news, events and announcements from the Department of Economic Development. |
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Produced by the Department of Communications & Media Relations
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