With a desire to aid local commerce and to promote economic development and job creation, Port Houston has commissioned a disparity study to evaluate equal opportunity and fairness in its procurement and contracting process. A public meeting was held Oct. 22.

Port Houston has partnered with Griffin & Strong, a law and public policy consulting firm, to complete this study. The study will gather information necessary to determine whether all qualified firms have the maximum practicable opportunity to compete for and participate in Port Houston’s procurement of prime contracts and associated subcontracts and, if indicated by the evidence, will support the use of strategies to ensure such opportunity.

At the October port commission meeting, Port Chairman Ric Campo expressed his enthusiasm and support for the process and welcomed the opportunities the study will present.

Gilda Ramirez, who oversees Port Houston’s small business program, lauded Griffin & Strong’s involvement.

“We are happy to have Griffin & Strong on board to help us ensure that we are reaching minority audiences and the public when it comes to our procurement and contract opportunities,” Ramirez said.

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Port Houston is focused on developing the workforce and helping drive success of small businesses in the Houston region. In 2019, the port held a small business industry forum on doing business with port maintenance services.

“We are an operating port with more than 3,000 assets and pieces of equipment, which is where small businesses support us when we have projects at our terminals,” said Mike Gignac, general manager for maintenance services for Port Houston’s Turning Basin terminal. Port Houston purchases maintenance-related products and services ranging from wharf cranes to technology and paper products.

Our small business development staff also shared the port’s procurement system and registration requirements to become eligible to bid on Port Houston work.

“This event is designed to help local small businesses meet some of the buyers and decision makers to learn about the port’s needs for goods and services in specific departments,” said Gilda Ramirez, senior director of small business and education outreach for Port Houston. 

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Caption: Port Houston Director of Environmental Affairs Trae Camble

Port Houston strives to be an environmental leader in the community, and staff engaged with numerous small businesses during a Small Business Industry-Specific Workshop on Environmental Affairs held recently.

Attendees received an overview of the port’s environmental department, including programs, projects and prosperity. The presentation was made by Trae Camble, Port Houston’s director of environmental affairs.

Port Houston holds an ISO-14001 environmental management certification and manages waste disposal, air and water quality, environmental auditing and stewardship programs at all of its facilities.

The event was held in coordination with the port’s small business development program, which offers a series of workshops for entrepreneurs to learn how to do business with the port.

“We have a variety of environmental projects and services at Port Houston, and a lot of them require contractor support,” Camble said. Notable projects include storm water permitting and environmental testing.

As one of the nation’s busiest ports, the Port of Houston generates nearly $7 billion in business activity annually. More than $547 million has been awarded by Port Houston to registered small businesses since 2002.

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Port Houston continued its popular Port University course in 2019 for small businesses with presentations from various departments about doing business with the port.

Port University, a four-week training course, is an outreach program designed to educate small businesses about procurement opportunities. The workshops are presented in collaboration with the University of Houston Small Business Development Center.

More than 50 small business representatives attended the class. They learned about port procurement opportunities, port facilities, the small business program, contracting language, bonding, insurance requirements and the port’s BuySpeed Procurement System. Since its inception in 2003, more than 800 small business owners have graduated from Port University.

Port Houston’s Small Business and Education Outreach department participates in more than 200 events every year through collaboration with various chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and private/public agency partners.

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More than 150 local small business representatives attended Port Houston’s Small Business Capital Improvement Projects and Subcontracting Opportunities Forum in 2019. Our small business development program was created in 2002 to provide opportunities for local small businesses to participate in contracting and procurement at the port.

Key goals of the program are economic development, sustainability and growth of small businesses and industry-focused workshops and events. Our small business participation rate is 39 percent since program inception with more than a half billion dollars awarded to local small businesses. Currently, there are more than 1,100 firms enrolled in the Small Business Development Program.

At the 2019 Forum, Ross Talbot, project and construction manager for Port Houston, provided an overview of upcoming construction and design projects. The workshop focused on infrastructure projects that further drive port operations. These infrastructure projects expand our facilities, so we can accommodate growth in cargo volume.

“This forum is designed to provide information to subcontractors who need the connections, knowledge and networking to get ahead and grow their business,” said Gilda Ramirez, senior director of small business education and outreach for Port Houston.

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Port Houston kicked off its fall Port University course for small businesses Sept. 26 with presentations from various departments about doing business with the port.

Port University, a four-week training course, is an outreach program designed to educate small businesses about procurement opportunities at the port. The workshops are presented in collaboration with the University of Houston Small Business Development Center.

More than 35 small business representatives attended the class, where they learned about port procurement opportunities, port facilities small business program, contracting language, bonding, insurance requirements and the port’s BuySpeed Procurement System. Since inception in 2003, more than 782 small business owners have graduated from Port University.

Port Houston staff from various departments provided insight on doing business with the port. The port’s environmental affairs team shared program highlights of interest to potential small businesses, including the environmental management of 8 public terminals, environmental auditing and the port’s environmental leadership strategy and policy.

Port environmental affairs programs include recycling, air quality management, waste management, providing environmental support for port projects as well as  a number of other activities, shared Ryan Dixon, lead environmental compliance coordinator for Port Houston.

“We strive to go beyond environmental compliance by incorporating voluntary initiatives such as our Environmental Management System, which helps us improve our internal processes and in return leads to a greener port and a healthier Houston Ship Channel,” Dixon said.  

In addition to the course, attendees are given the knowledge base about other upcoming port small business events and opportunities.  

Port Houston’s Small Business and Education Outreach department participates in around 200 events every year through the collaboration with various chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and private/public agency partners.

The post Port Houston Steers Small Businesses Ahead with Fall Port University Course appeared first on Port Houston.

Port Houston welcomed more than 200 small business representatives at the Construction and Design Capital Improvement Projects Forum May 8.

The quarterly event was designed for the port to share upcoming projects to contractors and subcontractors for potential bid opportunities.

Senior Director of Small Business and Education Outreach Gilda Ramirez shared informative facts about the port and the small business development program.

Director of Construction and Project Management Roger H. Hoh, P.E., highlighted future work at the port’s Turning Basin terminal and other breakbulk and container facilities.

Port Houston’s project management, small business, finance and procurement staff were also on site to help answer questions about the port’s procurement process.

“The port was built on innovation and partnership. We plan, build and design for the future, and important members of the “team” to accomplish this is our small business partners,” said Hoh.

The event was held at the Amegy Bank Tower.

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Port Houston held its semi-annual Port University workshop during the month of April. Port University, a four-week training course, is an outreach program designed to educate small businesses about procurement opportunities at the port. The workshops are presented in collaboration with the University of Houston Small Business Development Center.

More than 25 small business representatives attended the class, where they learned about port procurement opportunities, port facilities, contracting language, bonding, insurance requirements and the port’s BuySpeed Procurement System. Since inception in 2003, more than 722 small business owners have graduated from Port University.

Port Houston staff from the procurement, real estate, project and construction management, risk management, legal, environmental and channel development departments provided insight on doing business with the port.

“This program offers businesses the opportunity to learn the basics of contracting and procurement with the port,” said Pedro Gonzalez, P.E., small business mentoring program manager for Port Houston.

In addition to the course, the port offers a small business mentoring program for companies enrolled in the port’s small business program. Since the beginning of the program, awards and commitments to small businesses have totaled more than a half a billion dollars.

Port Houston's Small Business and Education Outreach department participates in more than 200 events every year through the collaboration with various chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and private and public agency partners.

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Port Houston held its quarterly Small Business Advisory Council meeting recently, with Senior Director of Small Business and Education Outreach Gilda Ramirez and staff providing an update on port small business engagement activities and events.

Port Commissioner John Kennedy, chair of the group, noted that Port Houston had no major impact as a result of Hurricane Harvey.

Kennedy also commended the Houston Astros for winning the Major League Baseball World Series Championship.

Paul Puente, Executive Secretary of the Houston Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council, provided a presentation on local workforce and apprenticeship opportunities. “Houston has one of the best economies in the world,” said Puente.

The Houston Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council helps build an exceptionally trained and skilled workforce for the commercial and industrial construction trade industry.

Other port representatives highlighted the port’s procurement process, policies and advertising initiatives.

In 2016, Port Houston awarded $272 million commitments and awards to small businesses. 

The Port Houston Small Business Advisory Council is a citizen group created to assist program council members to achieve goals, carry out procedures and make operations improvements.

The 16–member council represents a broad spectrum of leaders in small business, contracting, minority and women-owned business associations, community and labor groups.

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