Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program

Harris County Community Services Department (HCCSD) Small Business Program component compliments the efforts already set forth by the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. This portion of the program focuses on small business outreach regardless of the certification status of the business. For FTA-assisted contracts, the program meets the Final Rule published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 19), which requires that the recipients of Department of Transportation funding have a small business component to the DBE Program and the program is in accordance with 49 CFR 26.39. It will be the responsibility of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Liaison Officer (DBELO) to enforce and monitor compliance with this Small Business Program component.

In addition to the above, HCCSD is a participating member of the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council and their outreach program. HCCSD does the following additional activities in connection with procurement:

• Arranging solicitations, times for the presentation of bids, quantities, specifications, and delivery schedules in ways that facilitate DBE, and other small businesses, participation.
• Ensure that Small Business firms are verified as meeting the SBA size standard and required in 13 CFR 121 and/or certified by the Texas Department of Transportation as a Small Business Enterprise.
• In the event that a contracting opportunity is available in which a Prime Contractor can subcontract work, the Prime Contractor will be encouraged to unbundle work to the extent feasible to meet the County’s goals.
• Providing assistance in overcoming limitations such as inability to obtain bonding or financing (e.g., by such means as simplifying the bonding process, reducing bonding requirements, eliminating the impact of surety costs from bids, and providing services to help DBEs, and other small businesses, obtain bonding and financing). HCCSD does not require bonding on many types of contracts, especially those that do not involve construction or installation of equipment.
• Increased technical assistance and other services where needed through the above listed entities.
• Providing services to help DBEs, and other small businesses, improve long-term development, increase opportunities to participate in a variety of kinds of work, handle increasingly significant projects, and achieve eventual self-sufficiency.  
• On prime contracts not having DBE contract goals, requiring the prime contractor to provide subcontracting opportunities of a size that small businesses, including DBE’s to compete for and perform prime contracts.
• Arranging solicitations, times for the presentation of bids, quantities, specifications, and delivery schedules in ways that facilitate DBE, and other small businesses, participation.
• Ensure that Small Business firms are verified as meeting the SBA size standard and required in 13 CFR 121 and/or certified by the Texas Department of Transportation as a Small Business Enterprise.
• In the event that a contracting opportunity is available in which a Prime Contractor can subcontract work, the Prime Contractor will be encouraged to unbundle work to the extent feasible to meet the County’s goals.
• Providing assistance in overcoming limitations such as inability to obtain bonding or financing (e.g., by such means as simplifying the bonding process, reducing bonding requirements, eliminating the impact of surety costs from bids, and providing services to help DBEs, and other small businesses, obtain bonding and financing). HCCSD does not require bonding on many types of contracts, especially those that do not involve construction or installation of equipment.
• Increased technical assistance and other services where needed through the above listed entities.
• Providing services to help DBEs, and other small businesses, improve long-term development, increase opportunities to participate in a variety of kinds of work, handle increasingly significant projects, and achieve eventual self-sufficiency.
• On prime contracts not having DBE contract goals, requiring the prime contractor to provide subcontracting opportunities of a size that small businesses, including DBE’s to compete for and perform prime contracts.