Tag Archives: Business Assistance

Construction networking event builds connections on 2012 bond

More than 200 subcontractors and minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) had the opportunity on Monday to build relationships with the 14 firms HISD has selected to provide construction manager at risk (CMAR) services on school building projects.

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M/WBE Air Conditioning Business Has 10-Year History with HISD

Editor’s note: This profile is part of an occasional series on minority or women-owned companies that do business with HISD. The district’s minimum M/WBE goal levels are 20 percent for all levels of purchasing and construction, and 25 percent for professional services. In the 2007 bond program, that commitment reached nearly 34 percent. In the 2012 program, the contracts awarded to date reflect a nearly 51 percent M/WBE commitment.

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KCOH Radio to Feature HISD Bond Program

HISD’s biweekly radio show this Wednesday, Oct. 30, on KCOH (1230 AM) will highlight the district’s efforts to build and renovate 40 schools and provide contract opportunities to small and minority-owned businesses for projects under the 2012 bond program.

The 30-minute segment on KCOH will air at 11:30 a.m. The urban news/talk station broadcasts HISD news every other week.

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HISD’s 2012 Bond Program Presents Opportunities for M/WBEs

HISD Team Lead for Supplier Diversity Bernard Willingham told a group of small and minority business owners to remember one number: $1.89 billion.

“Every one of you in this room should want to know how you can get your hands on that for your business,” said Willingham, who spoke about the district’s 2012 bond program Thursday at a Doing Business with HISD workshop held at Houston Community College’s Southeast Center for Entrepreneurship.

The event, which drew about 30 attendees, offered small and minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) guidance on responding to contract proposals and forming joint ventures that can help improve their business capacity for HISD projects in the 2012 bond program, which will build or renovate 40 schools across the district. Continue reading →

HISD’s Supplier Diversity Team Honored for Community Outreach

The Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum honored the HISD supplier diversity team as an advocate of minority businesses with a merit and outstanding community service award during a breakfast event Oct. 22  in celebration of Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week. Continue reading →

HISD Supplier Diversity Team Networks with M/WBEs at Expo

The district’s supplier diversity team got the chance to tout business opportunities with HISD on Wednesday at the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council Business Expo.

The event, which attracted more than 1,500 corporate buyers, government agencies and educational institutions, provided a way for participants to network and build relationships. HISD took part in hopes of identifying more minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) that might be interested in future procurement opportunities in the district.

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Small-Business Owner Finds Success Doing Business with HISD

“HISD really helps small businesses, especially minority-owned businesses,” said Jasmine Wang, who began her company, Sienna Supply, in 2010.

Jasmine Wang knew her company would be a good vendor for HISD, offering one-stop shopping for a range of supplies, from janitorial carts to pencil sharpeners.

But Wang, a Houston small-business owner, was apprehensive about getting involved in the public procurement process with the largest school district in Texas. That was, until she connected with the HISD’s Office of Business Assistance.

“(HISD) really helps small businesses, especially minority-owned businesses,” said Wang, who began her company, Sienna Supply, in 2010. “There is a nurturing relationship between HISD and small-business suppliers.”

The business assistance team at HISD is designed to help small companies, including minority and women-owned firms, gain the confidence and expertise to navigate the procurement process, hosting workshops on business topics and networking events.

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New Committee Looks to Boost HISD’s Supplier Diversity Initiatives

HISD’s Supplier Diversity Advisory Committee got its second look Friday at proposed changes that would build on the success of the district’s program for minority and women-owned enterprises.

The committee, launched in December, is moving forward with a plan to hold firms more accountable in meeting the district’s M/WBE goals with a new scoring system designed to encourage outreach and participation. Continue reading →