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Gov. Martin O'Malley's new International Advisory Council is launching the state's first incubator for attracting foreign-owned companies.

The anchor tenant of the College Park incubator, expected to open this year, will be the University of Maryland-China Research Park, according to a statement from his office.

The council comprises senior government and private-sector executives with experience in bioscience, manufacturing, financial, advanced technology, education, agricultural, transportation and nonprofit sectors.

In the past year, Maryland has attracted 14 foreign-owned companies, which have the potential to create 250 new jobs, according to the statement.

Montgomery chamber marks 50 years

The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 50th anniversary at its annual awards and installation dinner Thursday.

William Eisig, partner at BDO Seidman in Bethesda, was installed as chairman, succeeding James Whang, CEO of Aeplog.

The Chairman's Award went to Pamela J. Mazza, managing partner at PilieroMazza of Washington, D.C., a chamber board member and the chamber's general counsel; and Mitchell Weintraub, a partner at Cordia Partners in Vienna, Va., and the chamber's certified public accountant.

The Visionary Award went to Whang, while Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. (D-Dist. 8) of Kensington was named Legislator of the Year.

Venter institute lands $43M NIAID contract

The J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, a nonprofit research institute, has won a $43 million, five-year contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, to serve as one of the institute's Genomic Sequencing Centers for Infectious Diseases.

The contract will enable the Venter institute to continue to expand its work in infectious diseases and human genomics by providing genomic services to the broader scientific community.

"The current worldwide outbreak of H1N1 flu, and the increasing prevalence of new and emerging infectious diseases makes our work more necessary than ever," Venter said in a statement.

Lockheed Martin wins $1.5B Air Force deal

Lockheed Martin of Bethesda has won a $1.5 billion Air Force contract for the Space-Based Infrared System, designed to provide early warning of missile launches and support other missions.

"This production contract reflects the Air Force's strong commitment to providing superior missile detection and surveillance capabilities for the warfighter," said vice president Jeff Smith in a statement.

An additional contract for the system is expected to be awarded this year.

Lockheed Martin's unit in Sunnyvale, Calif., is working on the project.

Survey shows mixed hiring picture

Accounting and finance workforces may fall somewhat in the Baltimore region and rise somewhat in the Washington, D.C., region in the third quarter, according to the latest Robert Half International Financial Hiring Index.

Six percent of 200 CFOs at Baltimore-area companies with at least 20 employees said they expect to add accounting and finance staff, while 9 percent said they expect reductions. Most CFOs surveyed, 82 percent, anticipate no change.

In the Washington region, a similar survey showed that 8 percent of CFOs plan to add staff, while 6 percent expect reductions. Nationally, 5 percent of CFOs expect to add staff, while 8 percent expect to cut staff.

Region fourth for technological innovation

The suburban Maryland-Washington, D.C., region ranked fourth among metro areas for economic activity created through technological innovation, according to a report released this week by the Milken Institute, a Santa Monica, Calif., think tank.

The local region was fifth in a similar report four years ago. The San Jose, Calif., area ranked first, followed by the Seattle and Boston regions.

R4 lands Pentagon contract worth up to $16.4B

R4 Inc., an Eatontown, N.J., defense service company with offices in Maryland, has been selected for a Pentagon contract worth up to $16.4 billion.

R4 is to provide integrated engineering, training, fielding, logistics and counter-improvised explosive device services for the Defense Department and other federal agencies under the five-year contract.

R4 Chairman Sterling Crockett, also chairman and CEO of Sterling Construction Services Inc. of Rockville, said, "This is quite a coup for us as a 3-year-old business in this game." R4 has a government relations office in Rockville and an integration facility in Edgewood, totaling about 20 employees in Maryland, Crockett said.

Report: UMd economic impact is $3.4 billion; 23,000 jobs

The University of Maryland, College Park's annual economic impact to the state is more than $3.4 billion, and supports more than 23,000 jobs, according to an independent report released this week at the annual meeting of the Maryland Economic Development Association.

Based on current state taxpayer support to the university, the return to the state is more than $8 for every $1 invested, the report says. By comparison, a survey eight years ago reported the university's economic impact was $1.8 billion.

The report also documents the university's role in attracting more than 1 million visitors annually; helping to grow small businesses throughout the state; winning hundreds of millions of dollars in research and development grants, and developing the area's largest research park.

The study was commissioned by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Inc. and executed by the Sage Policy Group, a local economic development analysis group. The report is available at www.newsdesk.umd.edu/pdf/sagereport.pdf.

State, Panama Canal sign agreement

The Maryland Port Administration has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Panama Canal Authority designed to increase economic growth and commercial activity between them.

The agencies will focus on marketing, research and data interchange, technical advancements and personnel training programs, according to an administration statement.

The Canal Expansion Program is also expected to bring larger ships to the East Coast and the port agency is working to increase capacity in Baltimore. The agency's goal is to have a 50-foot berth in operation when the canal expansion project is completed in 2014. The Port of Baltimore is one of only two East Coast ports with a 50-foot channel.

Maryland Airport begins $30 million expansion

After 15 years of planning, engineering and coordination, the Maryland Airport in Indian Head will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its $30 million expansion today. The privately owned public-use airport has been operating since 1945 and covers 337 acres.

$3M in grants awarded for nanobiotech research

Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation and biotech CytImmune, both of Rockville, and researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland are among the recipients of nearly $3 million in research funding through the 2009 Maryland Nanobiotechnology Research and Industry Competition Grants, according to information from state Department of Business and Economic Development.

This is the first time Maryland has conducted a statewide nanobiotechnology research grants competition.

Aeras and CytImmune each received $250,000 grants. A total of 103 applications was received in response to the competition's solicitation with 43 finalists subject to technical reviews of their research proposals. A complete list of recipients and more information are available at www.choosemaryland.org/pressroom.

New Lanham business

lands contract on Capitol Hill

P Four, a sales and interior merchandising company in Lanham, has contracted with EYA in Washington, D.C., to furnish model homes at Capitol Quarter, near Capitol Hill. The 200 new townhomes will be constructed and outfitted according to the U.S. Green Building Council's environmental design standards.

Having opened just in January, P Four is grateful to win this contract during the ongoing housing slump, said president Shawn Evans. The amount of the contract was not disclosed.

Balt. County raises bar for MBE/WBE contracts

Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. has signed an executive order increasing the county's minority and women-owned business enterprises participation goal from 12 to 15 percent. The increase is designed to spur higher levels of participation in county contracts by minority and women-owned businesses.

The changes, along with a push for better reporting methods for participation, result from a recently concluded study of minority and women owned businesses and their availability to do work in the county, according to Baltimore County information.

New county guidelines will now require MBE/WBE participation plans to be submitted with the initial bids for projects to help build capacity and improve synergy between primary bidders and subcontractors.

A new online reporting process will also provide access to real time reporting based on actual dollars procured and spent with minority and women-owned businesses. The system will require all prime contractors to log onto the system and identify the amounts and dates that sub-contractors were paid, and in turn, will require subcontractors to log in and verify those payments.

"We know that our economic stability and growth depends on diversity in the marketplace and Baltimore County has made it a priority to encourage the growth and expansion of minority and women-owned businesses and ensure that our contractor pool accurately reflects the communities we serve," Smith said in a statement.