§2.5–106.

    The Department shall:

        (1)    investigate and assemble information about the economic development, industrial opportunities, and economic resources of the State, including raw materials, power and water resources, transportation facilities, markets, labor, banking and financing facilities, industrial sites, and other fields of research;

        (2)    encourage location and development of new businesses in the State and the retention and expansion of present enterprises in coordination with local governments and local economic development units;

        (3)    encourage formation of local and sectional development committees and cooperate with local civic groups and other local, State, and federal development units;

        (4)    disseminate information in the interest of industrial development in the State, by publication, advertising, and other means;

        (5)    assist businesses in the areas of technology development and commercialization, small business development, workforce development and productivity, manufacturing modernization, and defense conversion;

        (6)    serve as an ombudsman for businesses affected by State policies and programs;

        (7)    coordinate business assistance service delivery to individual companies;

        (8)    link groups of businesses to address regional and industry specific needs;

        (9)    broker information exchange and entrepreneurial services that enhance economic development through partnerships with businesses, nonprofit organizations, professional groups, local economic development entities, and local governments;

        (10)    assist in developing and conducting regional strategic planning and coordinating State investments with regional economic development entities;

        (11)    collect and assemble information and data available from other State units or instrumentalities;

        (12)    monitor economic conditions, release reports, and maintain interindustry models of State regulations and local economies;

        (13)    use community colleges in the State to help deliver services;

        (14)    administer the programs in the Department;

        (15)    coordinate its efforts and activities with the Apprenticeship and Training Council and Apprenticeship and Training Program in the Maryland Department of Labor;

        (16)    establish and monitor performance measures to determine the success of outreach efforts to businesses;

        (17)    facilitate regular meetings among its regional experts, financial incentive team, and tourism development team to determine the success in meeting overall economic development strategic goals and in addressing the economic development needs of each region;

        (18)    work with community colleges to enhance the role of community colleges in providing workforce training services, including industry–specific education and training in response to the needs of the State; and

        (19)    (i)    define, identify, and compile data on State and regional workforce needs; and

            (ii)    work collaboratively with the Maryland Department of Labor and the Maryland Higher Education Commission to produce uniform and consistent baseline data, including common sources and measurements, about workforce needs to inform State policies relating to postsecondary education.