Maryland Department of General Services Celebrates 50th Anniversary
BALTIMORE, MD – Today, August 1st marks the 50th anniversary of the Maryland Department General Services. Over the past 50 year General Services has been an essential executive agency in state government, delivering expertise, essential services, and project management in benefit of other state and local agencies across the State of Maryland.
“I am very proud of General Services and its dedicated, hard-working employees,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Thank you for your 50 years of service and tireless efforts on behalf of our great state to keep our entire state government running as smoothly and effectively for the citizens of Maryland. ”
“Having served as the seventh Secretary of General Services, I know first hand the importance of the work of General Services,” said Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford. “It goes without saying that General Services employees are the unsung heroes of Maryland State Government, we are beyond grateful for all that you do.”
The first adaptation of General Services was established in 1845 as Public Buildings and Grounds, responsible for maintaining state owned buildings in Annapolis. In 1920, the Central Purchasing Bureau was formed, moving to the Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning in 1969. In 1947 the Department of Public Improvements was established to advise the Board of Public Works and other State agencies on questions pertaining to construction, renovation, maintenance, and repair of buildings, structures, and public works.
“The department is proud to be celebrating 50 years of doing great service,” said General Services eleventh Secretary Ellington E. Churchill, Jr.. “As an agency charged with upholding a diverse mission to enhance the quality of work/life environments for our stakeholders, we’re honored to provide these services to the citizens of Maryland and look forward to the next 50 years.”
In 1970, the Department of General Services was created (Chapter 97, Acts of 1970). At that time, duties from the Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning, Department of Public Improvements, and Public Buildings and Grounds along with oversight from several previously independent agencies, including the Board of Architectural Review, the Office of the Superintendent of Annapolis Public Buildings and Grounds, the Office of the Superintendent of Baltimore Public Buildings and Grounds, the Hall of Records Commission, the War Memorial Commission, the Washington Cemetery Board of Trustees, The Commission on Artistic Property, and the Purchasing Bureau, which were transferred to the Department of General Services.
Currently, General Services is an agency of 636 dedicated employees within six divisions; the Business Enterprise Administration, the Office of Design, Construction, & Energy, the Office of Facilities Management, the Office of Real Estate, the Office of State Procurement, and the Maryland Capitol Police. With a modest workforce of 636 employees, the department leverages over $2.4 billion in economic impact around the state, including capital projects, grants, commercial leases, state contracts, and other resources.
General Services is responsible for the operation and management of 55 buildings with 6.3 million square feet of space occupied by over 20 state agencies, including the historic State House which is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use in the nation.General Services is also responsible for overseeing the state’s inventory standards, the fuel management system, the surplus property program, capital grants and loans program, as well as records management. As the state’s main procurement authority, the department oversees a vast portfolio of statewide procurements used by other state and local entities. Our department owned portfolio is secured with a full service police department that provides police and security services to state buildings.
Charged with the acquisition, disposal, valuation, and leasing of state owned properties, the department manages a portfolio of over 4.7 million square feet of commercially leased space for 38 agencies. The department supervises and coordinates the design and construction of more than 1000 state construction projects valued at across the state.
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About DGS: The Department of General Services is responsible for essential services and programs administered on behalf of the state, including procuring goods and services; designing, building, leasing, managing and maintaining facilities; leading energy conservation efforts; and providing essential services such as fuel management, disposition of surplus property and records management. The Department of General Services Maryland Capitol Police maintains safety and security at state buildings.
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