The Fair Contracting Coalition (FCC) is a non-partisan advocacy group for local, small, minority and women owned businesses (SMWBEs). The FCC was founded because local companies receiving taxpayer dollars overlooked local businesses and outsourced contracts for construction, professional services, goods and supplies. According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2012, 98% of San Antonio businesses are minority and women owned; however, SWMBEs receive very little business from the companies their taxes support.
Responding to the cry for help from SWMBE’s across the county, the FCC meets monthly with its membership and the tax supported agencies to encourage contract readiness training, fair procurement policies and contract opportunities. Annually, the FCC grades the tax supporting agencies on their commitment to local SWMBE’s with the “Report Card”. The Report Card’s scoring metric considers: • If the entity has a public policy and a dedicated procurement officer for utilizing SWMBE’s. • The amount of money spent on construction, supplies, goods and services. • The amount of money spent with SWMBE’s for construction, supplies, goods and services.
The latest report card released today, the city of San Antonio rises to the top with a “A” spending 57% of their 2019 procurement dollars with local SWMBEs. Admittedly, work needs to improve in spending with African American and Asian American businesses. The city spent 3% and 8% respectively with those businesses. Alamo Colleges District received a B spending 16% with local businesses and again 3% with African American businesses and 6% with Asian Americans.
The other reporting tax supported agencies received an F, but worse? Seven agencies did not respond to the data request. FCC founder, T.C. Calvert Sr., states “It is un-American for any taxing entity to be unresponsive! This is hurting our local small businesses and it ultimately hurts our community.” The University of Texas San Antonio, Texas A & M San Antonio, San Antonio Water System, Edwards Aquifer Authority, University Health System, Northside ISD and Northeast ISD did not respond to the data request.
Rich Acosta, the FCC data collector explains the report card allows the agencies to see if they are meeting their self-imposed SWMBE spending goals. “These agencies exist because of local taxpayers. Employees of small businesses are the taxpayers. Why wouldn’t the agencies spend their money with the people that allow them to exist?” Local SWMBE’s employ over 70% of San Antonio’s taxpayers.
For more information on the FCC and to view the report card in its entirety go to, http://bit.ly/Fcc2020.
The Fair Contracting Coalition (FCC) was founded in 2007 to advocate for SWMBEs ensuring fair competition for public funded contracts. Organizations supporting the FCC include the Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce, the West San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the Christian Chamber of Commerce, the Alamo Asian American Chamber of Commerce, the Global Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Association of African Americans Chamber of Commerce, Black Contractors Association, Neighborhood First Alliance, Confidential Search Solutions, KROV Radio, and LULAC.
