Section 13: Responsible Offices

In order to fully implement the intent and goals of this policy, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department is designated the office responsible for the implementation, monitoring, and general operations of the SMWBE policy requirements.  In addition, all County offices, funded entities and facilities are required to identify a liaison to assure compliance with the County’s goals and to coordinate with the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department. The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department shall be responsible for the overall administration of the County’s SMWBE Program. 

1. The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department: 

  • (A) Establish procedures for the implementation of the policy;
  • (B) Verify payments to sub-contractors, sub-suppliers and sub-consultants, and seek to resolve any disputes and provide training on the Contract and Diversity Management System (CDMS);
  • (C) Develop and implement educational programs to assist SMWBE to compete effectively for County contracts;
  • (D) Compile a written quarterly report reflecting program statistics and the progress in attaining the county established SMWBE participation levels;
  • (E) Receive and review all internal and external complaints and recommendations regarding the implementation of the SMWBE policy;
  • (F) Audit compliance with the SMWBE policy on all purchases before, after award, during the performance of the contract and after completion;
  • (G) Review, develop and provide access to a directory of certified SMWBE and those in the certification process;
  • (H) Establish outreach activities and materials (English and Spanish languages) to provide information and needed assistance to SMWBE to increase their participation in the County’s procurement, contracting and certification process;
  • (I) Provide staff support for the SMWBE Program Advisory Committee;
  • (J) Monitor and report compliance issues regarding the TUCP, State of Texas HUB Office, South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency and other certifying entities;  
  • (K) Work with departments to identify SMWBE for use in the purchase of  professional and personal services;
  • (L) Develop and implement a training program for Offices and Departments to increase the posting of notices, solicitation, documentation and use of SMWBE;
  • (M) Establish efforts to build and maintain partnerships with other public and non-profit agencies and private enterprise organizations for the Purpose outlined in this policy;
  • (N) Establish and maintain a communication process with SMWBE and non-SMWBE vendors, suppliers, professionals and contractors to involve them in the procurement process and provide documentation of those efforts;
  • (O) Contact bidders who fail to submit the requisite SMWBE documentation;
  • (P) Work with the County Clerk’s Office to obtain assistance with all awards, contracts and information. As per State Statutes, the County Clerk is responsible for maintaining the records of Commissioners Court, Probate Courts, County Courts at Law, and Real Property Records.  The County Clerk is also charged with recording all public records, including state and federal tax liens, DD 214’s, UCC records, assumed business names, deputations, notice of trustee sales, public notices, personal financial statements, official bonds, statement of elected/appointed official, and vital statistics such as marriage licenses, birth, and death records through 1967 for births and deaths that occurred outside city limits, but within Bexar County. 
  • (Q) Furnish information to procuring entities to enable them to carry out their responsibilities pursuant to Section 11 of this Policy; and
  • (R) Perform other duties assigned by the Commissioners Court to comply with the intent of this policy. 

2. The Purchasing Department: 

  • (A) Provide the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department  with the contract award information by maintaining the online SMWBE Contract and Diversity Management System;
  • (B) Assist the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department with recommendations to the Commissioners Court and the SMWBE Advisory Committee regarding the implementation of the SMWBE policy;
  • (C) Assist the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department  during the purchase of County commodities, services, and professional and personal services covered by this policy;
  • (D) Assist the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department and Bexar County departments, offices, funded entities and facilities with outreach activities and materials to provide information and assistance to SMWBE for participation in the County’s procurement and contracting processes;   
  • (E) Provide the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department  notification of all competitive County purchasing opportunities valued over $50,000;
  • (F) Utilize an electronic purchasing notification and document distribution systems for posting opportunities and response by all vendors;
  • (G) Resolve all internal and external complaints, and facilitate termination, demand for payment, cure notice, show cause and debarment procedures when deemed necessary in accordance with  the law and County purchasing policies and procedures: and
  • (H) Perform data entry and validation as set forth in Section 11 of this Policy.

3. The County Auditor:

  • (A) Provides the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department reports of all expenditures of county funds for compliance with the SMWBE Policy provisions as outlined throughout the Purchasing Manual and SMWBE Policy.

4. County departments, offices, funded entities and facilities are encouraged to take steps necessary to implement the following: 

  • (A) Require Vendors, Sub-Contractors, Sub-Suppliers and Sub-Consultants to register with the County through the Supplier Portal module of the County’s Financial Management System;
  • (B) Actively use a directory of certified SMWBE provided by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department for County purchases;
  • (C) Assist the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department with the review of complaints and make recommendations regarding the implementation of the SMWBE policy;
  • (D) Provide assistance to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department with compliance to the SMWBE policy on purchases of  all procurement before the award, after award, during the  performance of the contract and after completion; and
  • (E) Assist the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department with outreach activities and materials to provide information and needed assistance to SMWBE to increase their participation in the County’s procurement, and contracting process.

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1. Section 1: Purpose
2. Section 2: Policy
3. Section 3: Legal References
4. Section 4: Definitions
5. Section 5: Program Goals
6. Section 6: Administration
7. Section 7: Certification
8. Section 8: Solicitation and Award of Commodities, Equipment, Maintenance, Construction, Services and Professional Services and Personal Services Under $50,000
9. Section 9: Solicitation and Award of Commodities, Equipment, Maintenance, Construction, Services and Professional Services and Personal Services Over $50,000
10. Section 10: Vendor Responsibilities
11. Section 11: Documentation And Reporting
12. Section 12: Administration of Vendor Data
13. Section 13: Responsible Offices
14. Section 14: County Responsibilities
15. Section 15: Exemptions to the SMWBE Policy Provisions
16. Section 16: Debarment Procedures
17. Section 17: Request for Information
18. Section 18: Effective Date
19. Attachment A: SMWBE Program Goals
20. Attachment B: SMWBE Program Report
21. Attachment C: Bexar County Purchasing Department Vendor Registration Form
22. Attachment C1200: Bid Submittal Forms
23. Attachment D: Guidelines for the Bexar County SMWBE Advisory Committee
24. Attachment E: Bexar County SMWBE Program Advisory Committee Standard Operating Procedures