Department: Economic Equity and Opportunity
Department Head/Elected Official: Estella Gonzalez
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Discussion Item
Project ID (if applicable):
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable):
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity for discussion and possible action on expanding the list of accepted Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) certifying agencies to include those from non-governmental entities that may require a fee for certification to increase the pool of certified M/WBEs for Harris County procurement.
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Background and Discussion:
The Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity (DEEO) does not function as a certifying agency and cannot issue M/WBE certifications. Instead, DEEO relies on certification agencies such as the City of Houston, the State of Texas Comptroller’s Office, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Texas Unified Certification Program to certify vendors. The type of certifications the County can accept is outlined in the M/WBE Policy passed at Commissioners Court on November 10, 2020, before the DEEO began operations.
At the May 7, 2024, Commissioners Court meeting, members discussed the timeline for M/WBEs to get certified via the County’s current list of acceptable certifying agencies. The court requested that DEEO come back to the Court with recommendations for potentially increasing the number of certifying agencies the County accepts to increase the availability of M/WBEs in our market area.
DEEO has completed its research and recommends that the Court expand its certifying agencies for M/WBEs to include the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC), Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance (WBEA).
Upon Court approval to amend the Harris County M/WBE Policy to include the above agencies, DEEO
will require up to 60 business days to ensure operational efficiencies. This timeframe is necessary for
updating all contracts and purchasing documents, as well as outreach literature. Additionally, it involves
facilitating a seamless transition of membership data into B2G, the County’s contracts monitoring platform.
Expected Impact:
The expansion of certification agencies will facilitate a broader array of M/WBE vendors, fostering greater participation in the procurement process. Increased competition resulting from this expansion often leads to more competitive pricing. Moreover, depending on a limited vendor pool may pose a risk to the County’s operations. Incorporating additional vendors offers proficiency and backup options, thus mitigating the impact of potential disruptions.
If the expansion is approved, the fiscal impact will include an increase in DEEO’s budget line item in the amount of $8,550 for memberships & dues since the County will have to join the approved new organizations. In addition, we will have an annual cost of $1,095 for B2G to upload membership data into their platform. DEEO will use savings in its current budget to cover the costs this FY, thus no general fund budget is being requested in FY24.
Alternative Options: Court members could decline to expand the pool of certifying agencies, and DEEO would continue to rely on the current certifying agencies, which were approved in 2020.
Alignment with Goal(s):
_ Justice and Safety
_X Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
_ Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
May 7, 2024 |
290 |
The court requested that DEEO provide recommendations on expanding certification types accepted by Harris County. |
Location:
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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1000 - General Fund |
$ |
$9,645 |
$9,645 |
$9,645 |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$9,645 |
$9,645 |
$9,645 |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Request |
$ |
$9,645 |
$9,645 |
$9,645 |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
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Anticipated Court Date: June 25, 2024
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): August 26, 2024
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Estella Gonzalez, Executive Director, DEEO; Maya P. Thornton, Director, Inclusive Procurements, DEEO
Attachments (if applicable): N/A