Heavy Haul, Big Goals: Meet the Prime

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🚧 Heavy Haul, Big Goals: Meet the Prime – New Date Announced! 🚧

The Meet the Prime event has been rescheduled to Monday, October 27, 2025 as part of the Heavy Haul, Big Goals: A Trucking Business Forum.

If you’re bidding on upcoming Harris County projects and seeking to meet your MWBE goals, this is your opportunity to connect directly with certified trucking vendors who are contract-ready.

✅ Host a table and engage with qualified subcontractors
✅ Build relationships that support inclusive procurement
✅ Help expand equitable opportunities across Harris County
📅 New Date: Monday, October 27, 2025
📝 Register here to reserve your table: https://wkf.ms/4111Mq9

This workshop is the final session in the Heavy Haul, Big Goals: A Trucking Business Forum series, developed by Harris County Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity (DEEO) to support the growth and competitiveness of MWBE trucking firms.

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About Harris County Vendor Diversity Department

Vendor Diversity Overview

Harris County EEO’s Vendor Diversity Department serves as a connector linking Women, Minority, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises with Harris County contracting opportunities. However, Harris County encourages equal opportunity for all businesses and individuals in the Harris County marketplace. The Harris County Commissioners Court established the program in November 2020 and charged the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity with administering the program in direct response to a disparity study conducted by Colette Holt & Associates. Specifically, the study analyzed Harris County’s contracting practices and found that only 9% of the county’s contracting dollars went towards M/WBEs though these firms made up 28% of the available market. As a result, Harris County has an overall Annual Aspirational Goal of 30% of total spending for MWDBE participation in County contracts.

Overall, Harris County is committed to mitigating the past and present inequities for Women, Minorities, and Disabled Business Enterprises.

M/WBE Program Resources

The Vendor Diversity Department’s M/WBE Program Objectives:

• Ensure non-discrimination in the award and administration of Harris County Contracts.
• Create a level playing field on which M/WBEs can compete fairly for Harris County Contracts.
• Ensure that the M/WBE Program is narrowly tailored in accordance with applicable law.
• Ensure that only firms that are Certified by public M/WBE certifying agencies are permitted to participate as M/WBEs.
• Help to remove barriers to the participation of M/WBEs in Harris County-funded Contracts.
• Assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside the M/WBE Program.

The Vendor Diversity Department’s responsibilities include:

• Monitor M/WBE participation and payments reported to listed M/WBE firms as well as payments confirmed by M/WBEs (Minority and Women Business Enterprise) and DBEs.
• Review and provide recommendations for all change/modification requests to the County contract’s M/WBE participation.
• Conduct site visits to ensure listed M/WBE vendors are performing a CUF (Commercially Useful Function) as required per the Harris County M/WBE policy.
• Evaluate the Contractor’s Good Faith Efforts by emphasizing quality, quantity, and intensity when soliciting opportunities to M/WDBEs and throughout the partnership with the said M/WDBE(s) for the duration of the County contract.

Certifications Recognized

Harris County does not possess a certifying agency. Instead, we recognize the five (5) designations below for M/WBE credit:

For information on how to become a certified firm in one or more areas recognized by the County, please contact the City of Houston’s OBO (Office of Business Opportunity).

Small Business Support

Support the formation, survival, and growth of small and micro businesses.

Harris Hub (Ongoing)

The Harris County Harris Hub program is a targeted investment in the recovery and development of Harris County’s small businesses. Overall, Harris Hub provides funding to Business Support Organizations (BSOs) to increase their capacity. Altogether, this provides in-depth and culturally competent technical assistance to small and microenterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Harris County is working with vendors BakerRipley, ROADS Consulting, and FORWARD Platform to provide small business owners with individualized, tailored technical assistance in the areas of marketing, financial management, hiring, and more. All in all, this program is designed to target underserved small businesses. This includes those owned by women, veterans, and persons of color. Furthermore, small businesses that complete 30 hours of technical assistance in the program are eligible for a $5,000 grant (depending on available grant funding).

Learn more about the Harris County DEEO.