Tag Archives: City of Austin Small and Minority Business Resources Department
City increases wealth cap for minority businesses seeking contracts
The city has increased the limit on personal net wealth for individuals looking to take part in the city’s procurement program aimed at hiring businesses owned by women and/or minorities. That adjustment was supported by an analysis of the local…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 22, 2024
Equity Action slams budget proposal as ‘throwback to the ’90s’
Some community advocates are decrying interim City Manager Jesús Garza’s budget proposal as a “throwback to the ’90s.” Garza released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24 in July. The $5.5 billion budget represents what Garza calls a “Back to…
Budget • By Nina Hernandez • Aug 7, 2023
Garza says reorganization ‘will in no way diminish’ offices of Civil Rights, Equity
Interim City Manager Jesús Garza has clarified his plans for reorganizing a handful of city offices, including the Equity and Civil Rights offices, which will be located in different buildings despite being part of the newly created Community and Business…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 2, 2023
Garza explains motivations behind proposed changes to Equity, Civil Rights offices
At Wednesday’s budget work session, interim City Manager Jesús Garza offered some of his rationale behind the proposed reorganization of four city offices, a change that has drawn criticism from community groups involved in equality and racial justice. During the…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 20, 2023
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Commission wants to add disabled business owners to minority contracting pool
Advocates for the city’s disabled community are pushing for people with disabilities to be added to the preferred class of vendors considered for contracting opportunities as part of the Minority-Owned Business Enterprise and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise Program. At last week’s…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 17, 2023
Council may move forward with study of minority business contracting disparities
City Council will decide at its Jan. 23 meeting whether to approve a study – first requested in late 2018 – examining how well small businesses owned by women and minorities are represented in the city’s contract procurement process. The…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 13, 2020
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Contractors give input on disparity study and ordinance
All Austin-area women- and minority-owned businesses are at a disadvantage when it comes to obtaining city contracts, a recent study shows. But while African-American entrepreneurs have often been at the forefront of efforts to push for equity in contracting, some say…
Austin • By Eva Ruth Moravec • Mar 16, 2016
Disparities persist within city's contracting
The city of Austin continues to disfavor minority- and women-owned businesses in its contracting, a 750-page study finds. Jon Wainwright, a senior vice president with NERA Economic Consulting, which authored the study, spoke to City Council’s Economic Opportunity Committee on…
City Hall • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jan 12, 2016
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City staff identifies financial options to assist small businesses
A City Council committee this week backed a staff report recommending four financial and payment assistance options for the full Council to consider to help small business contractors and subcontractors cope with meeting City of Austin living-wage requirements. Staff recommendations…
