March 30 – Congratulations to Ms. Andie Everett, Community & Economic Development Extension Agent in El Paso, who has engaged community partnerships and stakeholders in the Businesses In Development (B. I. D.) Academy.
The Community & Economic Development unit, in coordination with the Texas Comptroller’s Purchasing division, developed a program that focuses on strategies that increase bid participation and sales among Historically Underutilized Businesses (H.U.B.’s). Those businesses provide goods and services to more than 200 Texas agencies, universities, school districts, and large industries that participate in the statewide bidding process. H.U.B. programs were created to promote full and equal procurement opportunities for small, minority, and women-owned businesses. A partnership with the State Comptroller’s Office and the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the B.I.D. Certification Program was implemented. The B.I.D. Academy, an annual flagship program of the C. Save E.D. Unit, teaches the essential business skills and effective strategies for working, managing, and doing business with government agencies.
This academy is a FREE 7-week curriculum that will take your business through the process of not only getting H.U.B. certified but business planning, marketing, and developing a winning bid proposal. In 2019, the B.I.D. Academy facilitated seven sessions with 21 participants. Enrolled class individuals consisted of African Americans (non-Hispanic) (13%), Hispanic (37%); Native American (37%); and two or more races (13%).
Of the 21 program participants, 20 H.U.B. profiles and applications were reviewed, ten H.U.B. certificates were awarded 16 state contracts submitted for $1,570,899. Of the 16 state contracts submitted, eight were awarded, totaling $942,734 in new state contracts awarded for B.I.D. participants.