Houston OBO Insights to Opportunity - Summer 2021

INSIGHTS TO OPPORTUNITY Summer 2021 | Vol 21 | Issue 5

News & Events from Houston OBO | houstontx.gov/obo

FROM THE DIRECTOR Greetings, Rising to greet the rounding of the corner on COVID-19, and in line with the hopeful and optimistic spirit that resonates throughout OBO, we transformed our “COVID-19 Resource HUB” webpage to a “Resiliency Resource HUB,” welcoming a new phase in the type of support and information we provide you.

In this issue, we highlight our efforts to support the growth and development of businesses in both the public and private sector. We, of course, continue to prioritize maximizing the participation of MWSDBEs in City contracting. However, we also recognize the importance Go to DIRECTOR, page 7

WHAT’S INSIDE Startups Have Room to Grow in Tech Sector Page 3

Leverage OBO Workshops to Prepare for Certification Page 6

OBO ADVISORY BOARD: Members of the 2021 Board include, from first row left, Rogelio “Roger” Pombrol, Jr., Alicia B. Jimerson, Edgartt Melton, Craig Williams, Grace Rodriguez, Brandi Harleaux, Suzan Deison, Adriana Gonzalez, Nicholas Morgan, Thom J. Ronk, Alan D. Bergeron, Raoul Keddy, Marlon Mitchell, Laura R. Jaramillo, and Christina D. Moore.

United in Service, New Advisory Board Seeks to Help Advance OBO’s Mission By: Niyonsaba Magnifique

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he Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) welcomed nine new members to its Advisory Board: Rogelio “Roger” Pombrol, Jr. (vicechair), Edgartt Melton, Craig Williams, Grace Rodriguez, Suzan Deison, Adriana Gonzalez, Nicholas Morgan, Thom Ronk, and Raoul Keddy. All will join returning members Brandi Harleaux (chair), Alicia Jimerson (past chair), Alan Bergeron, Marlon Mitchell, Laura Jaramillo and Christina Moore.

With unanimous support from Houston City Council, Mayor Sylvester Turner appointed the Advisory Board on March 24. United in their passion and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the local economy, this Advisory Board aims to leverage their diverse backgrounds, industries, and experience to help

advance OBO’s mission to cultivate a competitive and diverse economic environment in Houston, as well as to advance the city’s workforce.

All leaders in the Houston business community, Board members represent chambers of commerce, the workforce development sector, and various industries such as construction, consulting, finance, recycling, integrated security, and higher education.

“As a business owner, I realize and see the value of OBO within the City of Houston,” said Harleaux.

“Having served on the Board the past two years, the support and access MWBEs need became more apparent, especially given the emerging opportunities that have been birthed in this economic and societal Go to BOARD, Page 5

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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT

Houston Innovation Hub Empowers Entrepreneurs By: Damita Roberts

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oused in Houston’s Innovation District, The Ion is a center for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. The first of its kind in Houston, the 266,000-square foot structure is designed to bring together the city’s entrepreneurial, corporate and academic communities into collaborative spaces and programs where they can build upon fresh and innovative ideas that can impact the world.

as a space for the community,” LeFlore said. “Come check us out.”

The Ion’s monthly E-Commerce Panel Discussion is hosted by Houstonian Kim Roxie, Founder and CEO of LAMIK Beauty, a clean beauty brand that caters to multicultural women. Each month, the panel discusses tools and strategies that make it possible for businesses and consumers to stay connected.

and bring his family into a different pathway or legacy in the field,” she said.

“Technology is for everyone and is also the future of the workforce. No matter your industry or field of expertise, you probably are intersected with technology at this point.”

For more information about The Ion and upcoming programming, see Page 3.

Also go to www.ionhouston.com.

The Ion’s programing is also focused on improving diversity and inclusion in Houston’s innovation ecosystem.

The Ion partners with DivInc., General Assembly, and LatinX Accelerator to provide minority- and womenowned businesses direct access to opportunities and resources that can assist with reducing the disparity in the marketplace concerning large projects, bid requirements, and capacity issues.

Deanea LeFlore, Senior Director of Partnerships at The Ion, is the driving force behind connecting the community with The Ion’s resources.

“The Ion is working to provide a bank of opportunities for everyone to be able to participate and benefit from technology and innovation by building systems for small businesses,” LeFlore said.

“Rice Management Company is very intentional in developing the Innovation District to ensure that as the project expands Houston’s tech and innovation ecosystem, they are also bridging the gap of accessibility between the communities.”

Regardless of certification, LeFlore encourages small businesses to access the many resources as well as the networking and educational opportunities at The Ion. Bringing these opportunities to Houston also helps keep innovators and creators local.

“We want everyone to think of The Ion

HUB OF TECH LEADERS: Early rendering of The Ion’s main lobby, which is projected to open this fall.

Family Tech Night is a monthly event that illuminates pathways to technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship by impacting the families within the various communities of Houston. According to LeFlore, this program integrates the family into a common space that provides resources for parents or guardians to understand that they may have a gifted or talented child who may want to pursue an alternate path from their family business.

BID OPPORTUNITIES AT HOUSTON’S INNOVATION DISTRICT The Ion is managed by Rice Management Company (RMC). The Ion is part of the Innovation District, a 3.5 million square-foot, mixed-use project. As The Ion is built, more opportunities for MWBEs are becoming available. Mpact Strategic Consulting manages the MWSDBE bids and processes.

Upcoming bid opportunities are available this summer and fall in the areas of Elevator

“For instance, a child coming from a family who has a legacy of mechanical work can take that experience and knowledge into aerospace engineering, robotics, or any innovative platform

Consulting, Lighting Protection, Exterior Landscaping, Janitorial, Security Services, and Pest Control. To bid on upcoming contracts with The Ion, Transwestern, or the District Garage, visit www.houinnovate.com.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Tech Startup Finds Success

by Leveraging Partnerships By: Angel Rodriguez

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n a city known for giant leaps, Houstonarea small businesses and startups have recently seen a revitalization that has allowed for significant strides toward innovation in the medical, energy, and aerospace industries. One of the driving forces of this resurgence is Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Smart City Initiative, designed to boost the city’s resilience and bring it into the next phase of innovation.

Also poised to jumpstart this innovation renaissance is The Ion, a business and technology consortium purposed for creating opportunities for economic growth and resiliency. Through partnerships with the City of Houston, Microsoft, and Intel, The Ion has built a launchpad for what is to be Houston’s innovation hub.

The Ion Smart and Resilient Cities Accelerator (ISRCA) supports start-ups with pioneering ideas and technology innovation for smart city solutions. One startup that has benefited from the ISRCA is SlideX, a parking management company that developed a dynamic parking system app which tracks vehicles in real-time.

Founder Anthony Brock and co-founder Yves Koulidiati developed this app out of a need for more efficient, secure, and eco-friendly parking systems to service valets, high-rise parking garages, and high-capacity facilities. The app reduces the time drivers spend looking for parking, tracks unauthorized vehicles, and provides ticketless technology, which reduces emissions and wasteful paper usage. SlideX accessed Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR),

TECH GOALS: Co-founder & CEO of SlideX, Anthony Brock, discusses technology and innovation goals with Mayor Sylvester Turner at last year’s ribbon cutting ceremony for Station Houston’s Ion Smart Cities Accelerator office. To learn more about SlideX, go to slidex.io. *Photo was taken pre-COVID.

a federal research and development program, and The Ion to collaborate with NASA to advance their app technology.

Through this Technology Transfer Program partnership, SlideX gained the opportunity to conceptualize an intelligent parking system for their space program and ultimately, commercial usage with NASA engineers, and to experiment using NASA technology.

Currently, SlideX and NASA have partnered to create the fastest and most efficient parking system on the market with the hope of utilizing the system for tracking vehicles on an interplanetary level during Mars exploration missions.

Brock and Koulidiati advise that companies who are interested in working with entities like NASA should log on to the SBIR website and research the advertised proposals.

“It will make navigating these large institutions much easier,” Brock said.

SlideX also cited their participation in the Microsoft for Start-Ups program as being a catalyst for their growth.

Through The Ion, Microsoft for Startups partners with companies and assigns

them a marketing team to develop their products for the marketplace.

The program also allows companies to use the Microsoft Azure Cloud platform to build their infrastructure and applications at no cost. Free access to this type of technology cuts down on costly overhead that start-ups might not be able to sustain. For more information, visit www.ionhouston.com/accelerators/.

Resources for Tech Startups The Ion offers the following: Baker Botts Office Hours: Free 30-minute consultations for legal needs related to your business.

How to Start a Startup: Identify problems, needs, and trends worth pursuing and evaluate possible solutions to these problems.

For times, dates and registration, visit www.ionhouston.com/events-andprograms/.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

Hire Houston First Keeps Contracting Opportunities Local By: Enzo Mungu

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ith billions of dollars spent by the City of Houston (COH) on improving and maintaining city infrastructures and other services, local businesses have a unique opportunity and preference when competing for City contracts through the Hire Houston First program (HHF). Implemented in the fall of 2011, as defined in the Hire Houston First Ordinance, Chapter 15 Article XI, HHF is a preference procurement program that provides local businesses an advantage in the contracting arena.

A business participating in the program, upon application and approval, must satisfy at least one of two requirements to be awarded either city/local business (CB/LB) or local business (LB) designations. First, the business must be headquartered within the 10 counties of Harris, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, Waller, Austin, and San Jacinto or Houston’s incorporated city limits.

Secondly, the business must have an established place or places of business in the incorporated city limits or the local area from which 20% or more of its workforce are regularly based, and from which a substantial role in the entity’s performance of a commercially useful function or a considerable part of its operations is conducted. Currently, there are 3,918 businesses designated as either CB/LB (60%) or LB (40%).

As a general rule, the City of Houston utilizes HHF in its procurement process as follows: contracts of $100,000 and more dealing with the purchase of any personal property not affixed to real property, if the City receives one or more bids from a bidder that is designated a CB and whose bid is within 3% of the lowest bid price received by the City from a non-designated CB bidder, COH subject to HHF provisions, shall enter into a contract with the lowest bidder or the bidder that has the CB designation.

In the award of contracts under

KEEPING JOBS LOCAL: Hire Houston First (HHF) requires that a business must operate and have 20 percent of its workforce based within Houston’s 10 counties.

$100,000 in purchasing any personal property not affixed to real property, HHF allows preference to be given to a designated CB whose bid is within 5% of the lowest bid price received by the City from a bidder that is not a CB. COH, subject to HHF provisions, shall enter into a contract for an expenditure of less than $100,000 with the lowest bidder or the bidder with the CB designation.

Nearly 400 HHF businesses are designated annually, with 35-60 applications received monthly. The average processing time of a completed application is 3-4 weeks and the designation, once awarded, is valid for three years.

To ensure only eligible vendors participate in HHF, the Office of Business Opportunity now requires companies wishing to retain their designation to submit renewal applications before the end of their three-year period, demonstrating their continued ability to meet Principal Place of Business HHF eligibility guidelines.

In FY2020, 239 contracts were awarded and 843 purchase orders were issued to 426 HHF companies, which resulted in 21,749 jobs provided in Houston and surrounding areas.

For more about the HHF program, visit www.houstontx.gov/obo/.

DID YOU KNOW? has an underground pedestrian tunnel system that is 20 feet below the ➡ Houston ground and runs for seven miles, linking 95 city blocks.

➡ Dr Pepper was invented in Texas in 1885. ➡ Sam Houston isn’t the founder of Houston.

Six Flags Over Texas theme park is named for the six countries that have ➡ The ruled over Texas.

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BOARD: Focused on Goals

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EMPLOYEE HIGHLIGHT

Continued from page 1 climate. I look forward to getting the ball rolling in collaboration with the rest of the Advisory Board as we focus on short, medium, and long-term goals in supporting OBO.”

Contract Compliance Division Welcomes Bernard Willingham

To fulfill these goals, Harleaux said the Board will serve as:

In January, the Office of Business Opportunity welcomed Mr. Bernard Willingham as the new Contract Compliance Division Manager.

Willingham brings to OBO many fresh and innovative ideas along with a consulting background and more than a decade of experience in the supplier diversity field. His involvement in MWBE programs has equipped him with many skills and experiences, all of which are valuable assets for OBO.

• Ambassadors: Advocating to increase the visibility of OBO’s programs and resources to small businesses, stakeholders, and interested parties.

• Influencers: Leveraging their networks to ensure OBO has the varied resources needed to offer ongoing value and impact through its services to minorityowned, women-owned, and small business enterprises (MWSBEs).` • Educators: Gathering information to work collaboratively with OBO staff to identify solutions that will improve services, increase program awareness, and provide greater access to opportunities. This involves creating a space for small businesses to share successes and roadblocks as well as understanding the challenges faced by the OBO team.

Since their appointment to the Board, each member has taken time to learn about OBO’s core services and signature programs. They have also aligned themselves to committees that will work alongside OBO management and staff in the areas of fundraising and budgeting; capacity building and partnering, as well as small business diversity, equity and inclusion; community outreach and ambassadorship; policy and advocacy; and workforce development.

“With the insight and expertise of this year’s Advisory Board, we have already hit the ground running in terms of creating a strategy in which to advance our goals,” said OBO Director Marsha E. Murray. “On behalf of the entire OBO team, I am grateful for their time and commitment, and look forward to making an even greater impact in the Houston business community and working to develop Houston’s workforce.”

By: Julie Garay

Q

Why did you want to join OBO?

A: I have a growing passion for

MWBE programs that enforce and benefit historically underutilized firms. In my opinion, an MWBE program lacks legitimacy if it doesn’t have a strong contract compliance component.

Q

What is a major goal you have for your division?

A: I would like for the Contract

Compliance team to be viewed as an advisory team and not as an adversary. The portrayal of the team being able to assist in keeping contracts in compliance with regulations will facilitate and cause more of an open relationship with firms and other City of Houston departments.

Q

What do you most enjoy about your job?

A: I most enjoy the wins that come with MWBE programs. Receiving a phone call from a firm that has complied with all regulations and is happy with their progress

in the program is the ultimate reward. The nature of what we do can be difficult, but it is rewarding when you get a phone call from a subcontractor letting you know that they couldn’t have done this without your help, and that they really appreciate your hard work.

Q

What would you like everyone to know about your team?

A: I admire them very much for

being able to manage all of the work with a positive attitude and professionally. The Contract Compliance team is passionate about their daily tasks and it shows.

It is also my goal to make the hard work of my team very visible, and I intend to highlight many of the good things the team does.

Q

What are your interests outside of work?

A: I take time to focus on my faith,

family and lastly, golf. I segment my work life away from my family life so much, that everyone outside of work calls me ‘Tommy’ in reference to the TV show Martin. The character Tommy never really says where he works, so people think he doesn’t even really have a job.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

OBO Offers 24/7 Access to Pre-Certification Workshops By: Enzo Mungu

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o assist minority- and womenowned small business enterprises secure contracting opportunities, as well as to cultivate a robust supplier diversity pipeline, the Office of Business Opportunity facilitates the City of Houston’s Certification Program.

This program, managed by OBO’s Certification division, offers the following local certifications: Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and Persons with Disabilities Business Enterprise (PDBE).

OBO also administers the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessionaire Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) certifications on behalf of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).

An integral and strongly recommended step in the certification process is taking part in the Pre-Certification Workshops offered by the Certification Division. These workshops provide an overview of each certification type; the requirements and procedures to guide business owners through the application process; and discusses the benefits of certification.

“Although participation is optional and not mandatory, these workshops are an invaluable step,” said Timothy Warren, OBO’s Certification Division Manager.

“Being ready to submit the proper documents and required information will help greatly in avoiding delays in receiving your certification.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was routine to hold in-person PreCertification Workshops in OBO’s offices on the 7th floor of 611 Walker St., every Thursday, except holidays. At the onset of COVID-19, in adherence to various social distancing restrictions, OBO offered several ways in which the community could safely and

ON-DEMAND: Newly updated Pre-Certification Workshops in English and Spanish are available for viewing any time at OBO’s YouTube channel. Live, virtual sessions are also available at 2 p.m. every first and third Tuesday of the month.

continuously access the workshops: • Live, virtual Pre-Certification Workshops every first and third Tuesday of the month at 2 p.m. Registration is required for these workshops, and participants have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation.

• On-demand Pre-Certification Workshops in English and Spanish which require no registration. These workshops can be accessed 24/7 on OBO’s YouTube Channel at @ houstontxobo.

• Downloadable PDF copies of the PreCertification Workshop presentations, which can serve as a reference while completing the application process.

As restrictions on in-person gatherings are lifted, look for notifications of inperson workshops, in addition to the continued provision of virtual offerings.

UPCOMING PRE-CERTIFICATION WORKSHOPS LIVE INSTRUCTION (VIRTUAL): Tuesday, July 20, 2021 | 2 p.m.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 | 2 p.m.

ON-DEMAND: Access 24/7 on YouTube @HoustonTXOBO. Also in Spanish, and requires no registration.

For more information regarding PreCertification Workshops, or to register for a live workshop, click on the Certifications tab at houstontx.gov/obo.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Applications Open for Liftoff Houston: Wednesday, July 7 at 1 p.m.

Texas Business Inclusion and Diversity Expo (TexBID): Thursday,

is Launch Day and the opening of the application period for the City of Houston’s Annual Liftoff Houston Startup Business Plan Competition. This program, sponsored by Capital One Bank, and in partnership with OBO and the Houston Public Library, will award more than $30,000 in seed money to aspiring business owners in the categories of Service, Innovation and Product. Fan Favorites will also be selected. There is also an Educational Pathway for those who do not qualify to compete. For more details, go to www.liftoffhouston.com or follow @liftoffhouston on Facebook and Twitter.

July 15 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Leverage your certifications and grow your market by learning how to do business with various Texas cities, government agencies, and corporations. The TexBID Expo will feature small business success stories, business panels, reverse pitch session with major Texas corporations, and a networking session with business resource providers and chambers of commerce. Ready to maximize your MWSBE certifications?

Register now at https://tinyurl.com/ TexBIDExpo. For more information, contact Porscha.Jackson@houstontx.gov.

Small Business Administration Grant Funding: Tuesday, July 27 at 2 p.m. Learn about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs award grants that range from $100,000 to $1.5 million to small businesses to encourage innovation and the commercialization of innovations.

SBIR grants allow small businesses to explore their technological potential and create new innovations. STTR requires that the small business formally collaborate with a research institution. For more information or to register for the event, contact Porscha.

Jackson@houstontx.gov.

WHO WE ARE

DIRECTOR: Opportunities Available in Private Sector Continued from page 1 of expanding your client base and the opportunities that exist in private sector supplier diversity programs, especially with the renewed commitment from many corporations over the past year to diversity, equity, and inclusion in how they conduct business.

We are actively working with corporate supplier diversity personnel to bring you information about available opportunities and how to access them. We kicked off this enhanced focus with our engagement of the Rice Management Company in their development of Houston’s Innovation District. Watch for more to come!

Finally, I am excited about our new OBO Advisory Board appointees whose breadth of experience

in business and developing our local workforce makes them perfectly poised to address the needs of the small business community, particularly minority and women-owned businesses, and disenfranchised individuals in the Houston area.

As usual, I encourage you to stay healthy and safe, and to continue to prioritize the health and safety of your employees and customers.

Sincerely,

Insights to Opportunity is produced by the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity (OBO). OBO is committed to cultivating a competitive and diverse economic environment in the City of Houston by promoting the success of small businesses and developing Houston’s workforce, with special emphasis on historically underutilized businesses and disenfranchised individuals.

Executive Editors: Marsha E. Murray, Esq. Lalla V. Morris, Esq. Managing Editors: Pearl K. Cajoles, Enzo Mungu Copy Editor: Dr. Porscha Jackson Contributing Writers: Angel Rodriguez, Damita Roberts, Julie Garay, Niyonsaba Magnifique Layout Designer: Damita Roberts Any information in this newsletter does not constitute the Office of Business Opportunity’s endorsement of any business or organization.

Marsha E. Murray Director

Marsha E. Murray was appointed by Mayor Sylvester Turner and confirmed by City Council to serve as the Director of the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) in April 2020, after having served as OBO’s Interim Director.

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