Primary Department: Purchasing
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Kimberly J. Williams, JD
Secondary Department: Economic Equity and Opportunity
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Tiko Reynolds-Hausman
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Contract - Amendment
Project ID (if applicable): 230451
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): PeopleFund
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Office of the Purchasing Agent that the County Judge execute an amendment to an agreement with PeopleFund to update the Request for Proposal (Exhibit A) and the Scope of Work (Exhibit C) for Revolving Loan Fund Program for the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity for the period of May 7, 2024 - October 1, 2029, with no increase in the total contract amount (230451).
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Background and Discussion:
On May 7, 2024, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved the selection and award of vendor PeopleFund to administer the Harris County Opportunity Fund, providing loans to eligible small businesses through an equitable underwriting process. The Harris County Opportunity Fund launched on October 1, 2024. The overall goal of the program is to improve small businesses’ access to capital and thus aligns with the County’s small business priority outcome to “support the formation, survival, and growth of small and micro businesses.”
On October 29, 2024, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved the amendment that extended the term and altered the principal repayment schedule to ensure this pilot program gets five (5) full operational years.
On October 16, 2025, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved an amendment to expand the range of growth loans to meet the needs of the local small business community. The approval expanded the Opportunity Fund growth loan range to $50,001-$250,000.
This amendment seeks to further expand the program's eligibility criteria without increasing the total fund amount, to meet the needs of small businesses and maximize the fund’s utilization and impact. Any prior requirement that an eligible business must have been established before the year 2020 is hereby removed. Eligibility for participation in the Harris County Opportunity Fund shall not be limited by the date of business formation, provided the applicant otherwise meets the program underwriting, compliance, and eligibility standards.
Expected Impact:
This amendment removes the requirement that businesses be established before 2020 as a condition of eligibility for the Harris County Opportunity Fund. The Fund shall continue to provide flexible, competitive loan products to qualifying small businesses and entrepreneurs, regardless of the date of business formation, subject to applicable program requirements.
Alternative Options:
The Commissioners Court could forgo approval of the amendment, and the program would remain as is, resulting in underutilization of the capital.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 3. Make our economy more inclusive.
County Strategic Plan Objective: M: Ensure that Harris County remains the best place in the region to start and grow a business, with a focus on equitable economic growth.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): J1: Address disparities in businesses’ access to capital through the Harris County Opportunity Fund.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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12/5/2023 |
164 |
Advertisement Approved |
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5/7/2024 |
213 |
Award Approved |
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10/29/2024 |
14 |
First Amendment Approved |
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10/16/2025 |
318 |
Second Amendment Approved |
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Location:
Address (if applicable): Harris County
Precinct(s): Countywide
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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Anticipated Court Date: 1/29/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date):
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Jie Wu, Director of Program Planning and Innovation Division, Economic Equity & Opportunity; Bryonne Cummings, Assistant Director of Policy and Special Projects, Economic Equity & Opportunity; Jeremy Woodard, Assistant Director, Purchasing
Attachments (if applicable): Letter, Amendment