A Leader in Diversity Programming: Kellie Irving, Deputy Assistant Director for the City of Houston HAS-OBO

Enhancing the HAS-OBO’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

According to the latest figures (2022) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there are 3,110,293 (3.1 million) small businesses in Texas.

Small businesses are looking for lucrative opportunities to grow, expand, and contribute to the stimulation of our local economy. The Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) continues its dedication to cultivating an inclusive and competitive economic environment in our city through promoting the accomplishments of our small business community and growing Houston’s workforce, with an exceptional emphasis on traditionally underutilized businesses and disenfranchised individuals.

Under the OBO umbrella is the Houston Airport System’s Office of Business Opportunity (HAS-OBO). There are many enterprise opportunities with HAS for small businesses that include construction, facility maintenance, professional services, airport concessions, advertising, and car rentals. These possibilities are awarded to companies through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), a Request for Proposal (RFP), or an aggressive bid process.

The HAS promotes the utilization of:

• Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) in the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) financially-assisted contracts.
• The inclusion of Minority and Women, Small (SBE) and Persons with Disabilities Business Enterprises (MW/S/PDBEs) in City of Houston funded contracts.
• Improved access to Houston Airports contract and procurement opportunities for MW/PDBE and non-MW/PDBE and SBE companies.
• Compliance with local and federal mandates.

A proven and effective leader in diversity programming, Kellie Irving is the Deputy Assistant Director for the City of Houston HAS-OBO.

Kellie has dedicated her expert profession to civil rights programming together with diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has labored in a range of positions overseeing and monitoring small utilization, accessibility, and equal opportunity in the public and private sectors. One of the reasons Kellie is driven to support small businesses is that she herself has owned a small business enterprise and served as the principal consultant for Taylor Sloane and Associates. At Taylor Sloane, she consulted on diversity programs, affirmative action plans, proposals, grants, and government relations. She has provided services for the PDA Consulting Group, LLC, University of California-Riverside, Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company, USC Village, Caltrans, and West Basin Water District. Kellie has been invaluable in diversity programming for entities that include Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, LA Metro, the City of Los Angeles, and Augusta, Georgia Consolidated Government.

Learn more about Kellie Irving and the HAS-OBO:

In your first year as Deputy Assistant Director, what have been your top areas of focus?

My top focus areas are hiring a strong, responsive staff to provide excellent business/client relations; delivering quality professional service rooted in transparency, assisting primes, certified subs, and project labor with on-time payments; reigniting an interest in HAS contracting.

What are your strategies for improving the efficiency of services and workflow at HAS-OBO?

I am tasked to continuously evaluate processes and procedures to improve the efficiency of services and workflow.  Two critical strategies to improve are a knowledgeable workforce that is agile and excellent in business communication, particularly timeliness of information, consistency of messaging, and responsive feedback.

Are there any other areas within HAS-OBO that you are working to improve?  

I am working to improve HAS OBO Outreach, Certified Business Economic Development Services, and Internal Client Services.

What concerns have you heard from the small business community when it comes to securing HAS-OBO contracts and how are you addressing those concerns?

The small business community has been very vocal in sharing their concerns.

There are three main categories of concern:

1. Navigating HAS to connect with end users that utilize their services.  The ability to share capabilities with the appropriate party within HAS.
2. Early notification of contracting opportunities to build their pipeline.
3. Expeditiously resolving payment issues.

To address these concerns, I am drafting a program titled Certified Business Economic Development Services, which will bring certified business entities together with Department End Users to allow the company to pitch their services or goods.  More importantly, this service will provide participating certified businesses with an economic development plan to follow based on HAS short, mid, and long-range projects and potential prime networking opportunities.  

We operate in a fast-paced environment.  From our personal to professional worlds, access to timely information can be a determining factor in winning or losing.  HAS OBO is committed to providing timely, relevant information to those we provide services to, internally and externally.  Needless to state, timely information regarding HAS contract opportunities is the most important information HAS OBO can provide to our business clients.  The timely notification gives this group ample opportunity to scout primes for teaming, negotiate great pricing with suppliers, and build for tomorrow.  This communication gap must be filled with relevant and quality industry intelligence.  

HAS OBO monitors payments as a part of our Contract Compliance duties.  At times, there are payment issues that arise which require a rapid resolution.  Without this rapid resolution, these payment issues can spiral into greater issues that may have a negative impact on the business or company’s reputation.

Talk about your commitment to compliance.

My work is compliance, from contract compliance to labor compliance to public transparency.   Every aspect of my position serving as Deputy Assistant Director of HAS OBO is rooted in a form of federal, state, or local law and regulation.  Therefore, my commitment is unwavering and is held to the highest degree to ensure public confidence and trust.  I believe in the people’s government.  I believe in transparency.  My goal is always to follow processes and procedures to comply.   

In this role, how are you advocating for contractors to hire locally?

HAS OBO provides oversight and reporting of Labor Compliance.  It is very important our prime contractors and our certified subcontractors hire and compensate qualified, skilled staff and labor.  It is my contention, Houston Market Area has a robust, qualified workforce ready and able to meet the local hiring needs.  Hire Local is always a great strategy to continuously fuel the local economy.  Understanding economics, Hire Local has an indirect and direct impact on HAS, the City of Houston and Harris County, and the State of Texas.   

Give us some of your accomplishments while in this new role.

In short, the most important accomplishment so far is investing in staff.  When I started this position, within one month, the HAS OBO staff was drastically reduced due to retirement and turnover.  Investing in recruiting and hiring quality professionals became a top priority.  I have hired a great team of Rockstars to provide excellent client service to our Certified Business owners and our HAS colleagues.

What have you learned in this new role?

I have learned the City of Houston is the place to be if you want to do business in this region.  The unprecedented commitment expressed continuously by our leadership, starting with Mayor Sylvester Turner, City Council, and Directors Mario Diaz (HAS) and Marsha Murray (COH OBO). The proud City of Houston and Five and Four Star Skytrax Award-Winning Houston Airports are SERIOUS about M/W/D/ACDBE business participation on contracts.  It is a proud feeling to know leadership provides the support to ensure the playing field is leveled for so many qualified, willing and able firms in our market area.

Director Mario Diaz, COO Jim Szczesniak, Chief Terminal Management Officer Liliana Rambo, and other Executive Leadership members are continuously evaluating strategies to further commit HAS opportunities for small and certified business participation.  There is a lot of economic opportunity at HAS.  Director Diaz and his Executive Leaders are removing barriers for certified firms to access these opportunities.

What are the short-term goals for HAS-OBO?

Two short-term goals for HAS OBO are to build up and out the Certified Business Economic Development Service and ensure HAS internal/external clients are serviced well.

What are the long-term goals for HAS-OBO?

There are three long-term goals:

1. Identify certified firms willing to commit to a ten (10) year plan to graduate from certification by participating in the HAS OBO Billionaire Club, which is focused on assisting these firms to win 10% or more participation on multiple contracts totaling in value of one billion dollars or more by 2033.  The main objective is to graduate the firms to the prime level so that they will compete successfully in the marketplace.

• HAS Certified Business Enterprises annual contract total dollars increase by an average of 10% each year.

• HAS creates a master contract for frequently used commodities used in capital projects that include certified business participation goals. 

Anything else you want the readers to know?

I hope to forge a relationship with Subcontractors USA as a key communication tool to reach the certified business community.  I invite certified businesses to explore one or more of the multiple streams of economic opportunity at HAS, such as becoming a contractor/supplier/airport concessionaire for HAS, one or more of our prime contractors/vendors, and one or more of our airline carriers.  

Takeaways are HAS OBO is open for business.  HAS OBO staff and I are ready to provide excellent client service.  For young persons reading this article, consider one or more of the exciting business or career opportunities in aviation.  It is a choice that is sure to take you places!

My name is Kellie Irving.  It would be a pleasure to meet and discuss your plan to connect with HAS.  Please call me KIKI, I am here to assist you in succeeding. For those that would like to continue the opportunity conversation, contact me at kellie.irving@houstontx.gov to receive information on attending the HAS Industry Day scheduled for mid-February 2023 to learn more about our exciting projects and contracts.

Kellie’s long-standing commitment and effectiveness in diversity programs and her current impactful footprint on HAS-OBO’s efforts have her deemed “The Inclusionista.” As the Deputy Assistant Director, Kellie’s leadership further elevates and enhances the HAS’s strategies and programs to further engagement and contracting success for MWSDBEs in Houston and our region.

For questions or for additional information on the City of Houston – Houston Airport System’s Office of Business Opportunity, you can contact Kellie Irving at (281) 233-7833 or kellie.irving@houstontx.gov.

Sources:

U.S. Small Business Administration

Foreign USA