From the Director

Greetings!

What a year! I want to start by thanking each and every member of the OBO team for their steadfast dedication to supporting Houston’s small businesses and disenfranchised Houstonians. They have done this through their daily work, and by their creative and impassioned delivery of our programming. The OBO team has delivered this year – certifying numerous new businesses, monitoring over 1,400 contracts, hosting countless webinars focused on business and workforce development, and rolling out new programming – all in the spirit of ensuring the City plays an impactful role in supporting an inclusive local economic environment.

As you will read in this issue, the City broke records in FY2021 in making sure minority, women and small businesses are meaningfully included in our procurement process. We also forged relationships with private sector partners to support the inclusion of our certified firms in their procurements. For the first time since 2012, we rolled out a program focused on increasing the bonding capacity for our local businesses so they can take advantage of the numerous construction opportunities on the horizon in this region. And we did not miss a beat in delivering our signature programs this year, such as Build Up Houston, Turnaround Entrepreneurship Program, Turnaround Houston Job and Readiness Fairs, as well as collaborative programs such as Turner School of Construction Management, Interagency Mentor-Protégé Program and Ascend Houston.

While we will continue to deliver these programs, we have new offerings to support you slated for the new year. In January, you will be able to take advantage of Procurement 101, an online interactive tool created in response to your requests to understand the ins and outs of the City’s procurement process. This tool, created in partnership with the City’s Strategic Procurement Division, can be accessed at your convenience. Through National League of Cities, an organization committed to helping cities implement equitable policies, programs, and practices to support entrepreneurship-led economic growth, we will assist select local businesses to raise capital from community-based investors. And this Spring, we will host a new and improved exporting forum for local businesses interested in taking advantage of a global customer base by exporting their products or services internationally.

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

-Marsha E. Murray, OBO Director