The Upcoming Annual Bexar County Business Conference Continues To Connect Small Businesses To Opportunities for Success

The Upcoming Annual Bexar County Business Conference Continues To Connect Small Businesses To Opportunities for Success

Bexar County’s Small Business & Entrepreneurship Department (SBED), led by Renee Watson, continues its concerted effort to connect small businesses with billions of dollars in contracting opportunities. One of the SBED’s initiatives serving Small, Minority, Women, and Veteran Business Owners (SMWVBO) is its annual Bexar County Business Conference held on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at…

AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION NEWS: Doing Business With CapMetro

AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION NEWS: Doing Business With CapMetro

CapMetro has established a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 49 CFR Part 26. CapMetro’s overall DBE goal for FY2020-22 is 19% of the Federal financial assistance expended in DOT-assisted contracts, exclusive of FTA funds to be used for the purchase of transit vehicles. It…

Entrepreneurial Equity: METRO Expands Efforts To Support Business Owners

Entrepreneurial Equity: METRO Expands Efforts To Support Business Owners

METRO’s Board of Directors voted recently to create two programs to ensure equal access and opportunity for veterans and people living with a disability seeking to do business with the Authority. The Veteran Owned Business Enterprise (VOBE) and the Disability Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) programs will be run by the Office of Economic Business Opportunity,…

Architecture Firm Billings Grow at a Slower Pace

Architecture Firm Billings Grow at a Slower Pace

While architecture firm billings grew for the 18th consecutive month in July, the pace of growth continued to slow. The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 51.0 for the month is the lowest since January and marks the fourth straight month with a lower score than the previous month. With a variety of economic storm…

Construction Input Costs Decrease 1.1 Percent Amid Falling Fuel Prices, but Other Goods and Some Services Continue Upward Price Trend

Construction Input Costs Decrease 1.1 Percent Amid Falling Fuel Prices, but Other Goods and Some Services Continue Upward Price Trend

The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction declined by 1.1 percent from July to August as a steep drop in fuel prices masked increases in the cost of other construction inputs, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released recently. Association officials cautioned that limited…

Best Recruitment Strategies for Construction Companies

Best Recruitment Strategies for Construction Companies

The top recruitment strategies for construction recruiting include but are not limited to building a great company brand that candidates are attracted to, sourcing great talent in new ways, interviewing appropriately, and continuing to train your new hires. Construction companies’ recruitment strategies have never been more critical. In fact, Brent Darnell International, a company that…

Austin Energy News: Seven Ways Public Power Makes Austin Better

Austin Energy News: Seven Ways Public Power Makes Austin Better

The secret is out. The Austin area is a great place to be. But Austin hasn’t grown to international status on its own. Austin Energy, the City’s publicly owned electric utility, has supported the area every step of the way. Since 1895, they have powered the community, delivering safe, affordable, reliable energy and excellent customer…

October Celebrates Public Power Week

October Celebrates Public Power Week

Public power utilities across the U.S. celebrate Public Power Week the first full week of October every year to help customers and stakeholders understand how they can better engage with their community-owned utility and benefit from all its offerings. Public power utilities are community-owned, not-for-profit electric utilities that safely provide reliable, low-cost electricity to more…

Optimize Costs With MCA Managed Services

Optimize Costs With MCA Managed Services

By Paul Stoessel, MCA Communications  It always costs more to react to a problem than to proactively prevent one. Yet, business managers tend to resist investing in a Proactive Service Agreement to ensure their systems are well maintained. Through the illusion of saving money, organizations end up assuming all the liability for the moment their…

Associated Builders and Contractors Announces 2022-2023 Tech Alliance Members

Associated Builders and Contractors Announces 2022-2023 Tech Alliance Members

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) recently announced the members of its third annual Tech Alliance—a consortium of firms that create construction technology and innovative solutions for ABC contractor members, the majority of which primarily perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors. “These technology and innovation allies of ABC are leaders in the construction innovation…

Job Growth News: Texas Upstream Oil and Natural Gas Sector

Job Growth News: Texas Upstream Oil and Natural Gas Sector

Data released by the Texas Workforce Commission indicates that upstream oil and natural gas employment grew in August by 2,600 jobs from July. July’s gains were revised down to a still-solid 3,100 jobs added. “Upstream employment is growing steadily alongside the world’s demand for affordable, reliable energy.  The Texas oil and natural gas industry continue…

5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer   It is always a great feeling to sign a new contract.  Be it for a commercial or public project, the sound of hearing the words, “You have been awarded XYZ job” is sweet music.  This was apparent when I was recently picking up a package at the post office. A…

METRO & the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program Partners Continue Their Collaboration to Advance, Strengthen & Drive the Small Business Community

METRO & the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program Partners Continue Their Collaboration to Advance, Strengthen & Drive the Small Business Community

By Subcontractors USA News Provider In keeping with METRO’s commitment to providing contracting opportunities to all businesses, on September 22, 2022, METRO’s Board of Directors adopted a Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (VOBE) Program and a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) Program. These new programs are in addition to the existing and successful Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and…

The Houston Minority Supplier Development Council Continues to Bridge the Gap Between Buying Entities and MBEs 

The Houston Minority Supplier Development Council Continues to Bridge the Gap Between Buying Entities and MBEs 

The 2022 EXPO Provides MBEs With Opportunities for EXPOnential Growth By Subcontractors USA News Provider Under the leadership of President Ingrid M. Robinson, the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC) continues to combat the challenges MBEs face with a commitment to seeing these businesses succeed.Since its founding in 1973, this nonprofit organization has remained a…

5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

5 Permitting Tips for Public Works Contractors

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer   It is always a great feeling to sign a new contract.  Be it for a commercial or public project, the sound of hearing the words, “You have been awarded XYZ job” is sweet music.  This was apparent when I was recently picking up a package at the post office. A…

OSHA Reveals Top 10 Safety Violations for Fiscal Year 2022 at NSC Safety Congress & Expo 

OSHA Reveals Top 10 Safety Violations for Fiscal Year 2022 at NSC Safety Congress & Expo 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced recently its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2022. NSC Safety+Health Associate Editor Kevin Druley introduced Patrick Kapust, acting director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, who presented the list during the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, the world’s largest annual…