Acclaimed as one of the largest community colleges in the nation, the Houston Community College System (HCC) is also acclaimed for being impactful as a champion for the small business community. In addition to HCC’s various programs and efforts for small businesses, the Small Business Development Program (SBDP) remains an award-winning program within HCC, driving small business progress. Though many small business enterprises in our city and the surrounding areas continue to feel the financial impacts of the pandemic, HCC remains proactive in providing opportunities for our businesses to succeed. Under the leadership of Joseph Gavin, CTCD – Executive Director, Procurement Operations,the procurement team contributes to keeping small businesses strong and valuable to HCC and our city.
Providing Strategies for Small Business Progress
Q&A With HCC:
Please talk about any new procedures the SBDP has implemented and the successes since 2021. In an effort to continually hold our networking and meet and greets with SBE’s, we incorporated a number of platforms into our Program to determine which one would allow for the most interactive and engaging experience. Prior to COVID-19, all networking and meet and greets were in person. Now, we utilize TEAMS and WebEx to engage with supplier’s one-on-one and in group settings. Although working virtual, we understand the need for continued engagement between our clients and SBE’s and have implemented new procedures to engage with SBE’s. We are also in the process of completing our Constant Contact page which will highlight the SBDP and our community partner activities. You can sign up today at hccs.edu/sbdp.
Please talk about the SBDP’s continuous outreach efforts that continue to support small businesses, while still in the midst of COVID-19. Since the start of COVID-19 in March 2020, the Small Business Development Program (SBDP) has hosted and/or participated in over 150 outreach and networking events. As an example, the SBDP hosted virtual seminars on RFP Presentations and Evaluations, Building Financial Capacity, QuickBooks for Entrepreneurs and Maximizing Your Certification to Generate Business Opportunities. As we noticed the need for the in person experience, we hosted our first hybrid event on July 21, 2021 at our West Loop Campus. The topic of discussion was “Are You Protected” and surrounded general risk management, EBLI v EPLI, cyber insurance and most importantly, insurance in a post COVID-19 world. Our hybrid and virtual seminars were well received by the supplier community, averaging over 100 attendees per session! We continually engaged with the supplier community by hosting meet and greets between the supplier, procurement and the client department. Prior to the meet and greet taking place, the supplier is requested to register as a vendor as well as provide a capability statement to the SBDP to ensure the correct client is engaged. The key element to doing business with HCC is vendor registration. Vendor registration ensures automatic notification of bid and quote opportunities. Vendor registration is a simple process and can be completed at hccs.edu/procurement.
What can we expect from the SBDP this year and moving forward? This year the SBDP will focus on its in reach, engaging more with our internal clients. The SBDP will meet with our internal clients to understand their needs and how SBE’s can become engaged in the procurement process. As the SBDP grows, training will be provided internally to our clients on the importance and impact of utilizing SBE’s, the SBDP contract compliance process, the clients role in the supplier selection process and the importance of utilizing our SBE’s and the effects of their utilization on the local economy.
Please give us an example(s) of HCC partnering with an SBE, resulting in the small business being able to pivot to achieve success during the pandemic. Several of our SBE’s were able to partner with HCC during the pandemic resulting in success in their business. Specifically, one of our local SBE’s provided 112 Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. Of the 112 administered vaccines, 75% were students and 25% were staff. A variety of personal protection equipment (PPE) was purchased from SBE’s including thermometers, masks, hand sanitizer and face shields. However, PPE only represented one of several commodities purchased. Services were also purchased from SBE’s including IT asset management and audit engagement, temporary staffing for the Industrial Technology Department and temporary staffing for COVID-19 screeners as well as a variety of other services required to continue servicing our staff, students and programs.
In 2021, our engagement with a local SBE granted the College a rebate for recycling material in the amount of $8,240.00. This rebate is the direct result of the sale of scrap metal. Specifically, copper and HVAC units from the College’s deferred maintenance program. Strategic Sourcing identified the opportunity for the College to receive rebates on copper and HVAC equipment, worked internally with Business Services and the SBDP and ultimately brought this project to fruition. Procurements persistence turned this into a good environmental process (recycle) and generated funds for the College. A total of 74,434 pounds of scrap metal was picked up in 2021. This is largely in part to the HVAC units that were recycled from the contractors who procured the HVAC Bids.
Please talk about the success of your “Access to HCC” event held recently. We held our 7th annual “Access to HCC” Procurement Expo at the HCC West Houston Institute on March 10, 2022. This year’s expo was hybrid, featuring 6 virtual exhibitors, 14 community partner exhibitors and 21 HCC exhibitors. We also highlighted 3 local businesses who gained connections and contracts from our annual procurement expo by way of a video highlighting their business and the work they performed for HCC. This year’s keynote was Jay Steinfield, Founder & CEO of Blinds.com. Early bird attendees received a signed copy of Jay’s book, “Lead from the Core”. Our numbers were extraordinary this year with a total of 497 RSVPs. We welcomed vendors virtually as well as in person allowing us to serve a larger audience. “Access to HCC” is the SBDP’s signature event, bringing out HCC Trustees and Presidents. The VIP list did not stop there as Marshall Heins, M.B.A. – Sr. Vice Chancellor, Finance & Administration CFO, Joseph Gavin, CTCD – Executive Director, Procurement Operations and Christopher Burton, CTPM, CTCM, CPM, CPSM, MBA, CPPO – Director, Procurement Operations brought greetings. Desmond Lewis, Ed.D., Associate Vice Chancellor, College Readiness provided words of inspiration to our attendees as well as introduced this year’s Keynote.
What upcoming events do you have planned over the next couple of months/through the year for the small business community? The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, the City of Houston, Houston Independent School District, the Port of Houston Authority, Houston First and the HCC Small Business Development Programs have teamed up to create the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program (IMPP). IMPP exists to foster and strengthen long-term, effective working relationships between established companies and emerging and historically underutilized businesses. Benefits for participating in IMPP include, but are not limited to understanding business financials and bidding, creating and strengthening working relationships between established and emerging companies and understanding how to do business with local government agencies. Program length is nine (9) weeks from 6pm – 8p.m. every Tuesday online via Microsoft Teams.
The application deadline is March 31, 2022. However, this is a yearly program. If you miss this year’s deadline, you can apply next year! Apply online by March 31, 2022 at http://www.houstontx.gov/obo/mentor_protege.html.
Any recent awards/recognitions/honors you want to mention?
- National Association for Minority Contractors Platinum Sponsorship recognition
- Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award – National Procurement Institute (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 & 2016)
- Strategic Partner of the Year – Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum (2021, 2020/multiyear)
- Award of Merit – Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum (2020, 2016/multiyear)
- Top 25 Supplier Diversity Champion – Subcontractors USA (2018/multiyear)
- R.A. Wiltz Minority Business Advocate of the Year – Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum (2018)
What do SBE’s have to say about HCC’s SBDP?
“The partnership with the Small Business Development Program and Procurement has been an integral part of our inroads and partnership opportunity with HCC. I don’t think we would have cultivated the relationships or had as much traction had it not been for these areas serving as internal advocates. We are greatly appreciative to the SBDP for their assistance in implementing business opportunities and collaborative work projects for my company. As a 100% Woman-Owned Small Business, we are grateful to programs that want to be proactive in a diverse culture. The SBDP/Procurement Department is an integral part of building these opportunities, and supports the efforts of small businesses to compete and grow.” – SBE Electrical Services & Sales Provider
“I have worked with the Small Business Development Program on several different projects. The one thing that is completely consistent, the Small Business Development Program is a champion for small businesses. Kudos to the Small Business Development Program and Procurement Operations.” – SBE Apparel Provider
“On behalf of our team, I want to sincerely thank the Small Business Development Program for your support. Your efforts with arranging introductions between Procurement and our team was a vital component that allowed us to showcase our capabilities. Without the SBPD none of this would have been possible. Thank you for being an advocate!” – SBE IT Services and Equipment Provider
“It’s my absolute pleasure to work with the Small Business Development Program/Procurement Department. During our first meeting, the SBDP assisted me with registering in HCC’s vendor database. Once registered, we started to receive RFQs and have successfully provided HCC with many items we quoted for. The SBDP always manages to foster positive discussions and bring the best out of small businesses.” – SBE Print Services Provider
The SBDP is very active in our Community by participating with local Chambers and Associations as panelists and exhibitors. The SBDP also partners internally with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and Houston MBDA Business Center to provide even more value to the SBE community. Please keep in touch with the SBDP at hccs.edu/sbdp. To receive automatic notification of bid opportunities, be sure to fill out a vendor application at hccs.edu/procurement.
