Top Twenty Five State of Texas Agencies for Expenditures with HUB Vendors

Good Faith Effort

Texas A&M University-Commerce remains committed to the existing policies governing the purchase and subcontracting activities that foster meaningful and substantive inclusion of Historically Underutilized Businesses. To ensure that A&M-Commerce makes available every possible procurement opportunity to HUBs, the Purchasing Department encourages departments to actively solicit HUB vendors regardless of dollar amount or source of funds.  A&M-Commerce is governed by the following HUB policies:

• The State of Texas Government Code 2161
• State of Texas Administrative Code Title 1, Part 5, Chapter III, Subchapter B, Historically Underutilized Business Program
• Texas A&M University System Policy 25.06.01, Implementation of HUB Policy.

HUB Vendor Classification

To be classified as a HUB vendor, a business must be a corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, or joint venture in which at least 51% of the business is owned, operated, and actively controlled/managed by a minority or woman.  The State of Texas classifies such businesses as:

• Woman-Owned, Female - WO/F

• Hispanic-Owned, Male - HI/M

• Hispanic-Owned, Female - HI/F

• Black-Owned, Male - BL/M

• Black-Owned, Female - BL/F

• Asian-Owned, Male - AS/M

• Asian-Owned, Female - AS/F

• American Indian-Owned, Male - AI/M

• American Indian-Owned, Female - AI/F

To be identified as a HUB vendor in the State of Texas, a qualified vendor must be HUB Certified with the State.

HUB Certification

HUB certification is free to qualified vendors.  Potential HUB vendors must complete the HUB Application and mail it to the Texas Building and Procurement Commission, located in Austin, Texas.  The HUB application contains complete instructions, as well as web addresses for the Centralized Master Bid List, Commodity Code list, and frequently ask questions.  The HUB Coordinator for A&M-Commerce can also assist vendors in completing the application.

Benefits of being HUB Certified

• State agencies and institutions of higher education are required to report dollar amounts, solicitations, and contracts with qualified HUB vendors to the State of Texas.  Therefore, each agency or university is actively contacting certified HUB vendors to meet or exceed the State of Texas HUB initiatives.

• State agencies and institutions of higher education are required to solicit a minimum of one woman-owned and one minority-owned vendor when the cost of procuring goods and/or services exceeds a set dollar amount.  Only HUB certified vendors count in the solicitations.

• State agencies and institutions of higher education are required to implement a HUB Subcontracting Plan when the cost of procuring goods and/or services exceeds $100,000.00.  Prime or general contractors must make a good faith effort when using subcontractors.

• State agencies and institutions of higher education are required to set goals with certified HUB vendors when procuring goods and/or services, and report the goals to the State of Texas.  Each agency or university must meet or exceed the set goals or explain why the goals were not met.

Centralized Master Bidders List

The Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL) was developed and is maintained by the TBPC for state agencies and institutions of higher education to solicit and contract with HUB and Non-HUB vendors.  Certified HUB vendors are encouraged to apply for inclusion on the CMBL.  Vendors must complete a separate CMBL application and pay a fee of $100.00 for a two-year listing.  State agencies and institutions of higher education regularly search the CMBL to find vendors, especially HUB vendors.

HUB Subcontracting Plan

It is the policy of A&M-Commerce to achieve the annual HUB program goals by contracting directly with HUBs or indirectly through subcontracting opportunities in accordance with the applicable Texas Government Codes.  Therefore, A&M-Commerce, entering into a contract with an expected value of $50,000.00 or more, shall, before the solicitation of bids, proposals, offers, or other applicable expressions of interest, determine if it is probable for subcontracting opportunities under the contract.  If subcontracting opportunities are probable, A&M-Commerce will state such probability in its bids, proposals, offers or other applicable expressions of interest and require the submission of a HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) from the prime or general contractor.

Mentor/Protégé Program

It is the intent of the Mentor/Protégé Program to build an effective, long-term working relationship between established businesses (mentor) and newly-formed minority and/or woman-owned businesses (protégé) who are certified by the State of Texas as Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) in order to for the latter to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the established business.

The relationship between the mentor and protégé should provide the following: 

1. Enhance and strengthen the capacity of the HUB to contract with state agencies or to receive subcontracting opportunities from a state contract;
2. Foster long-term relationships between the general or prime contractor and HUBs;
3. Increase overall participation of minority and/or women-owned business in the State of Texas HUB Program.
4. Realize protégé’s company leaders competency in select areas of identified need.
5. Protégé’s increased ability to realize long-term stability in their respective field.

For more information, such as eligibility, applications, requirements and general information, click here to download the complete packet.

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Purchasing and Contract Administration
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