Jan - Mar 2021 | Insights to Opportunity
www.houstontx.gov/obo | Page 9
WINTER STORM URI RESOURCES M
any businesses and families across Houston and Texas are still feeling the effects of Winter Storm Uri. Below is a list of helpful resources:
Houston Harris County Winter Storm Relief Fund The Fund focuses on grantmaking to local nonprofits that meet unmet needs of families who need additional help to recover, including help with plumbing and home repairs, temporary housing, and other basic needs relief. Visit https:// winterstormrelieffund.org/.
FEMA Emergency Aid for Homes and Businesses FEMA Assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Visit www.disasterassistance.gov/.
SBA Disaster Loan Assistance SBA offers disaster assistance in the form of low-interest loans to businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters located in regions affected by declared disasters. SBA also provides working capital to help overcome the economic injury of a declared disaster. Visit https://disasterloanassistance.sba. gov/ela/s/ to learn more.
Small Business Disaster Recovery Guide The U.S. Chamber Foundation offers 10 tips for recovery after a disaster. These tips include creating communication strategy, cultivating partnerships
in the community with businesses, government, and nonprofits, and tracking recovery. Visit https://www. uschamberfoundation.org/sites/default/ files/media-uploads/USCCF_SBDR_ QuickGuide_v5.pdf for more details.
Property Damage Insurance Claims Guide Texas Department of Insurance has put together tips on how to report property damages to your insurance agency and how to avoid scams. Visit www.tdi.texas. gov/news/2021/tdi02182021.html.
Useful Resources to Assist Your Business Growth Hello Alice helps business owners discover what they need to grow their businesses by connecting them to funding, opportunities, and experts – all for free. Visit https://helloalice.com/.
Public Utility Commission of Texas - Consumer Resources The Public Utility Commission of Texas regulates the state’s electric, telecommunication, and water and sewer utilities. Visit www.puc.texas.gov/ consumer/Default.aspx to get assistance in paying your bill and to access the Electric Outage Reporting Procedures.
Find Your Local Foodbank Per ZIP Code Visit https://www.feedingtexas.org/gethelp/ to find free groceries near your home, and sign up for nutrition benefits like SNAP (food stamps).
Safety Steps for Winter Storms The American Red Cross offers guidance
on how to prevent and thaw frozen pipes, operate a generator and what you should do if the power is out. Visit https://www.redcross.org/about-us/ news-and-events/news/2021/winterweather-can-be-dangerous-how-to-staysafe.html.
Texas A&M After a Disaster Guidebook This disaster recovery guide provides simple information on how individuals, families and businesses can recover from a disaster. Visit https://texashelp. tamu.edu/browse/disaster-recoveryinformation/after-a-disaster/.
PROCUREMENT: Added Value Leads to Successful Bidding Continued from page 7 officer who advertised the bid. The contractor who won the bid should seek to understand what they did well to position themselves for future success. Bidders who are unsuccessful in securing a contract should seek areas of improvement. A review of bid tabulations to determine the best pricing strategy, coupled with a meeting with the “end user” to better understand the department’s goals and future needs is a way to take the proactive approach. Doing business with the government is not a mystery but requires hard work and perseverance to be successful. Researching an agency’s needs is one of the most important keys of effective bidding. Contractors need to present themselves as experts that will bring low prices and added value to the agency. As Mr. Hughes put it, “government contracting is a hustle, but it is worth it.”
