Tag Archives: Office of Business Assistance

Workshop Wednesday: How to do business with HISD

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Members of HISD’s Supplier Diversity department gathered with local business owners and vendors on Wednesday to provide them with tips for successfully submitting required Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) reports to the district.

HISD established the M/WBE program in 1988 to advocate fair and equitable opportunities for the participation of M/WBE firms or companies. The M/WBE participation report makes it possible for smaller businesses to gain contracts within the district after all requirements have been met. Continue reading →

Workshop Wednesday promotes financial freedom

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Certified Financial Educator Lijoy Thomas and his team educated local business owners and vendors on Wednesday about the concept of building a strong financial foundation.

During Thomas’ presentation, part of HISD’s Business Assistance Workshop Wednesday series, attendees were given clarity on compound interest and debt management, as well as a better understanding of the meaning of the terms asset, liability, and net worth.

“How is it that the richest country in the world is in so much debt?” asked Thomas as he presented information on the nation’s consumer debt level. “An average family owes $15,950 in credit card debt.” Continue reading →

Tips on effective communication presented at Workshop Wednesday

(Hernandez, Mariauna L)Is communication an art or a science? That was the question posed to attendees at this month’s Workshop Wednesday, which focused on the importance of communicating effectively during sales pitches.

Professional Presentation Coach & Workforce Development Expert Ellis Hubbard spoke to an eclectic crowd of attendees during his Listen2WIN workshop about the importance of listening to and noting the body language of the subject of their sales pitch. Those two things can help a salesman identify the type of person with whom they are dealing.

“You have to get to know folks in order to sell,” said Hubbard, who reiterated that listening is the key to communication. “The more you know about someone, the easier it is to sell to them.”

Continue reading →

Certification brings success to companies that do business with HISD

Workshop Wednesday this month featured “Being Certified, Brings Success” presented by Kelly Knez, client engagement manager with KellyMitchell, a women-owned IT consulting and staffing company. Attendees received valuable advice and information on the benefits to qualified companies associated with becoming M/WBE certified.

Continue reading →

Worthing HS construction firm overcomes obstacles to land school building projects

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. Continue reading →

Vendors, Suppliers Get Tips on HISD Bidding Process

Vendors and suppliers curious about how to do business with HISD got an overview Wednesday on how to fill out a “Request for Proposal,” the paperwork required for companies to bid on a project.

More than 45 people turned out for the workshop, sponsored by the district’s Office of Business Assistance. Leading the two-hour event was HISD procurement manager Robert B. Fazakerly, who covered topics such as how RFPs are evaluated and the importance of meeting all specified deadlines.

“We go by the time and date stamp at the board services office,” Fazakerly said. “If it’s late, we’re not even going to open the box.”

Continue reading →

Video Series Gives Another Look at 2012 Bond Projects

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• Click here to see all 2012 Bond Projects videos

The Houston Independent School District is launching a new series of videos to help explain different aspects of the 2012 bond program that will renovate, replace or rebuild 40 schools across the city.

The short videos, designed for both web and TV, cover topics such as procurement and insurance on bond projects, as well as the benefits of building schools that are environmentally sustainable. The goal is to give viewers a quick snapshot into how the district is moving forward with its $1.89 billion building plan. Continue reading →