The Harris County disparity study for 2020 has found that disproportionately few county contracts are awarded to minority- and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBEs), with Black-owned businesses in particular having the greatest disparity between their availability and utilization. The study will form the legal basis for the county's efforts to remedy the situation.
The findings of the study included that while white-male-owned firms made up 72 percent of the market, they received 91 percent of contracts during the period covered by the study (fiscal year 2016 through the first quarter of fiscal year 2019), and that Black-owned businesses, while making up 8.4 percent of the market, received 0.5 percent of the contracts during the same period. Other categories of MWBE firms, though not showing as great a disparity, were similarly under-utilized relative to their measured availability.
The race- and gender-neutral recommendations made by the study for remedying the disparities include: a modernized and centralized database for monitoring of contract data; the creation of an Office of Economic Opportunity and Equity Department, which would have operational integration into all county departments; performing more business outreach sessions, community development, and matchmaking; and adjust the bundling of contracts and bonding requirements and other barriers to entry to give MWBEs greater opportunities to work as prime contractors. MWBE-specific recommendations include: formation of a formal MWBE program with contract goals; acceptance of prior certifications from entities such as the Texas State Unified Certification Program and the Texas HUB program; implementing a mentoring program; and providing training specific to the program.
Read the disparity study at https://www.hcp1.net/Portals/37/DisparityStudy2020.pdf.
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