SUBCONTRACTORS USA JOURNAL 55

SUBCONTRACTORS

USA

TEXAS JOURNAL

W W W . S U B C U S A . C O M

Architecture | Construction | Education | Energy | Engineering | Legal | IT | Manufacturing | Oil and Gas | Petrochemical | Transportation

October 2020 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 55th Edition

CHAIRMAN Archie Meyer

President Ingrid M. Robinson

President Houston Minority Supplier Development Council

Global Operations Support Advisor F&L Value Chains and Global Functions Exxon Mobil Corporation – OE-SSH&E Personnel Safety & Security COE

SECRETARY David Wilson

VICE CHAIRMAN James A. Brownrigg

TREASURER Eileen Perillo

Managing Director Resources/Technology Consulting Accenture

Vice President, General Manager Turner Construction Company

VP Finance Unconventionals Shell Exploration & Production Company

2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD MEMBER Keith "MR. D-MARS" Davis, Sr.

BOARD MEMBER Paula Mendoza

President & CEO Vaskey Media Group (MBE)

President Possible Missions (MBE)

HOUSTON MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

BOARD MEMBER JOHN SLANINA Vice President, Strategic Sourcing & Logistics Intergration Management Office CenterPoint Energy

Continues to Combat COVID-19 Business Challenges With Their Upcoming Virtual EXPO

BOARD MEMBER Andy Icken

November 18 - 19, 2020

BOARD MEMBER Calvin T. Wright

AVP–Supply Chain Management University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Chief Development Officer City of Houston

BOARD MEMBER Nadeem Mazhar President/CEO Custom Technology Solutions (MBE)

BOARD MEMBER Anthony Curtis Business Development Manager TekSync Technologies (MBE)

BOARD MEMBER

Tim Finley Chief Financial Officer Port Houston

BOARD MEMBER BILL KEYES Global Logistics Director Fluor Enterprises, Inc

16-17

INSIDE

Helen Callier

24

BOARD MEMBER TROI TAYLOR President Taylor Construction Management (MBE)

5 Tips to Get on the Right Path after Months of Delay in Obtaining a Building Permit

28

14

Mayor Turner Recognizes National Code Compliance Month October observance promotes public awareness of importance of code enforcement to keep communities safe

Texas Central Railroad Reaches Two Historic Milestones Completion of key regulatory processes makes the Nation’s first high-speed train ready to go

2 | October 2020

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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

Keith "MR. D-MARS" Davis, Sr. CERTIFIED:

HMSDC

The Subcontractors US Texas Journal highlights opportunities and news relevant to the construction, energy, architecture, manufacturing, education, engineering, oil and gas, transportation, and IT industries we serve. We hope you find this issue not only informative, but inspiring and educational as well.

This month's issue highlights the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC), a nonprofit organization committed to driving the economic growth of minority-owned businesses. The HMSDC is a vital link between major corporations and minority business enterprises (MBEs).

During this pandemic, our minority busiPort of Houston

Metro

BEHIND THE JOURNAL PUBLISHER & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr. COO & MANAGING EDITOR Kimberly Floyd ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla ART DIRECTOR Angel Rosa PHOTOGRAPHY Grady Carter L.C. Poullard DISTRIBUTION Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Helen Callier Subcontractors USA News Provider

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”

—The Late President Roosevelt

City of Houston

ness community is facing unforeseen struggles. And continuing to answer the call during these times is the HMSDC. An extension of their efforts is the upcoming HMSDC Virtual EXPO held on November 18th and 19th. This event is Texas’ largest minority business trade-fair, supporting the advancement of our minority business community.

As always, thank you for your continued support of the Subcontractors US Texas Journal. When you support us, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

HISD

of Minority Architects (NOMA) President Among Five Women in Architecture Awardees 06 CONSTRUCTION

06 #BidAlerts and Social Media: Increasing Bid Submissions With A Hashtag 08 Construction Sector Adds 26,000 Workers In September But Nonresidential Jobs Stall As Many Commercial Firms Experience Project Cancellations 12 ENERGY

12 CenterPoint Energy Foundation Commits $50,000 to Hurricane Delta Relief 14 IT & TECHNOLOGY

14 Keep Your Business Safe from Cybersecurity Threats 14 LEGAL

14 Mayor Turner Recognizes National Code Compliance Month October observance promotes public awareness of importance of code enforcement to keep communities safe

20 OIL AND GAS

20 ExxonMobil, National Math and Science Initiative Expand Education Programs to Permian-Area Schools 24 PERMITS

24 5 Tips to Get on the Right Path after Months of Delay in Obtaining a Building Permit 26 SAFETY

26 ICYMI: U.S. Department of Labor Acts to Help American Workers And Employers During the Coronavirus Pandemic 28 TRANSPORTATION

28 Port Houston Chairman Delivers State Of The Port The Port Remains Strong, Looks Ahead to Future, Diversity and Inclusion Priorities 28 Texas Central Railroad Reaches Two Historic Milestones Completion of key regulatory processes makes the Nation’s first high-speed train ready to go

DBE

ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION

16-17 COVER STORY

16-17 The HMSDC Helps Minority Businesses Reimagine.

Reconnect. Rise Stronger

VBE

OUR SERVICES

CONTENTS 04 ARCHITECTURE 04 The National Organization

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GRAPHIC DESIGN • Logos • Flyers • Ads • Folders • Brochures • Door Hangers PRINTING • Business Cards • Flyers • Folders • Pull-up Banners • Step and Repeat Banners • Brochures • Door Hangers • Letterhead • Envelopes PHOTOGRAPHY • Headshots • Event Photography Online & Email Marketing Social Media Advertising

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ARCHITECTURE

The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)

President Among Five Women in Architecture Awardees

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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eaders, innovators, activists, educators—the 2020 winners of RECORD's Women in Architecture Awards represent the best of the profession. Now in its seventh year, the program recognizes and promotes women who demonstrate a commitment to excellence both in their work and in the world.

A founding principal of Koning Eizenberg Architecture in Los Angeles, Julie Eizen­berg has given visibility to the design value and potential of community projects and people-oriented practice. With found­ing partner Hank Koning, Eizenberg received the AIA Los Angeles Gold Medal in 2012 and the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 2019. Notable projects include the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, 28th Street Apartments (record, March 2013), and the Pico Branch Library and Geffen Academy. A teacher and lecturer, she holds an honorary Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of Melbourne.

LEVENBETTS principal Stella Betts founded her New York–based firm with her partner, David Leven, in 1997. An adjunct professor at Yale University School of Architec­ture, Betts has previously taught at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; Cornell University School of Architecture, Art, and Planning; Cooper Union, Parsons School of Design at the New School, and Syracuse University. She holds a Master of Architecture from Harvard Univer­sity’s Graduate School of Design, and a Bach­elor of Arts from Connecticut College. Her office—a 2007 Architectural

Record Design Vanguard—is working on its fifth public library in New York as well as a Life Sciences Building in Manhattan and several single-family homes in upstate New York. Betts serves on the board of directors of the Arch­itectural League of New York.

The 2019–20 president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), Kimberly Dowdell is a licensed architect and frequent speaker on the topic of architecture, diversity, sustainability, and the future of cities, whose overarching mission is to improve the quality of life for people living in urban areas. Her career aspirations are rooted in her upbringing in Detroit, where she was initially driven to utilize architecture as a tool to revitalize cities. With the staff and board of directors of NOMA, Dowdell is working to increase the opportunities for women and for people of color to gain more equitable access to the design profession. A LEED-accredited professional, she holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and Master in Public Administration from Harvard University. Dowdell is a principal in the global design firm HOK’s Chicago office.

A founding principal of Gray Organschi Architecture in New Haven, Connecticut, Lisa Gray’s work focuses on regenerative building. Ongoing research initiatives at the practice explore the potential of renewable, bio-based building materials and circular-economic construction techniques, to transform the built environment from a significant source of greenhouse-gas emissions into a powerful tool to mitigate climate change. Recent built work includes Common Ground High School, the Ecological Living Module, the Henry David Thoreau footbridge, and the Mill River Carousel pavilion. Gray is a frequent

instructor and lecturer at Yale Univer­sity, where she has served as the Louis I. Kahn Visiting Assistant Professor of Archi­tecture. She and partner Alan Organ­schi received an architecture award from the Amer­i­can Academy of Arts and Letters. Gray holds a Master of Architecture from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Architecture from Yale College.

Founding principal of MPdL Studio, Monica Ponce de Leon became dean of the Princeton Uni­ver­sity School of Architecture in 2016, where she is also a professor. As dean and educator, Ponce de Leon has spent her career focused on diversifying the profession; linking research, pedagogy and practice; and increasing access to technology. From 2008 to 2015, she served as dean of Taubman College at the University of Michigan, and taught at the Harvard Grad­uate School of Design prior to that. She has been honored with the Cooper Hewitt’s National Design Award in architecture and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ academic award in architecture, and she was named a USA Target Fellow in Architecture and Design

by United States Artists. In 2016, Ponce de Leon was inducted into the National Academy of Design.

The winners were chosen by an independent jury: Tomas Rossant, design partner, Ennead Architects; Jing Liu, principal, SO – IL; Claire Weisz, FAIA, principal-incharge, WXY; and John King, urban design critic, San Francisco Chronicle.

The awards will be conferred during ­R ECORD's virtual Women in Architecture forum on Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 5 p.m. EDT.

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Source: www.noma.net

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CONSTRUCTION

#BidAlerts and Social Media: Increasing Bid Submissions With A Hashtag Willeford. “The goal is to make it easier and make businesses more News Provider aware of the opportunities, and he Small Business & Entrepreneur- we have done a great job at that.”

By Subcontractors USA

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ship Dept. is always looking for innovative and creative ways to increase our outreach and get more business owners to bid on County contracts or register as a supplier. One of these tools that have been effective is our social media channels and our hashtag campaign, #BidAlerts.

Since starting the #BidAlert posts in October of 2017, there have been 100 alerts that have gone out. These solicitations have as much variety as the businesses that bid on them, ranging from heavy equipment repair and drainage work to marketing and accounting needs.

The response on social media has had a major impact on small, minority, and women business owners seeing active formal solicitations. Since the start of the program, we have had more than 40,000 impressions over the 100 bid alerts we have posted.

“By posting to multiple outlets at once, we allow business owners to follow us and find the information they need on the platform they choose,” says SMWBE Analyst Brian

Using a variety of social media channels, #BidAlert posts are seen by a wide range of business owners, resource partners, organizations, and individuals that may be unaware of the opportunity otherwise.

2018 saw a record number of new businesses register to do business with Bexar County, with 880 businesses now registered. That is a 8.3% increase from the fiscal year of 2017, from 5,953 to 6833.

In addition to setting records with the number of registrants, we also saw a substantial increase in the number of submissions per bid opportunity.

In 2016, before #BidAlerts started, we had 58 bids with a total of 212 responses - an average of 3.66 responses per bid. In FY2017, we had 44 events with 175 responses – an average of 3.98 responses per bid. In 2018, once #BidAlert was in full swing, there were 37 events with 176 responses – an av-

erage of 4.76 responses. That represents a full extra bid per opportunity compared to the years before!

“Using the #BidAlert initiative, we have increased participation from vendors, brought new companies to the table, and have increased awareness of Bexar County opportunities as they come out,” said Renee Watson, Director of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Dept.

“I am excit-

ed to see where this initiative will take us in the future!”

New #BidAlert posts are made when the opportunity goes live in the Bexar County Supplier Portal. Be sure to follow our social media pages on your favorite platform and keep an eye out for #BidAlert posts that are important to your business!

Source: www.bexar.org

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CONSTRUCTION

Construction Sector Adds 26,000 Workers In September But Nonresidential Jobs Stall As Many Commercial Firms Experience Project Cancellations Pandemic Prompts Strong Demand for Housing, But Undermines Demand for Most Types of Nonresidential Projects as Retail and Office Suffer and State and Local Governments Cut Construction Budgets

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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onstruction employment increased by 26,000 jobs in September to a total of 7,245,000, but the gains were concentrated in housing, while employment in the infrastructure and nonresidential building construction sector remained little changed, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said the pandemic was prompting strong demand for new housing as more Americans work from home, while undermining private-sector development of office, retail and other types of projects and forcing many local and state governments to cut construction budgets.

“Construction is becoming steadily more split between a robust residential component and generally stagnant private nonresidential and public construction activity,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, noting that in the three

months since June, residential construction employment has increased nearly 3 percent while nonresidential employment has slipped 0.2 percent. “As project cancellations mount, so too will job losses on the nonresidential side unless the federal government provides funding for infrastructure and relief for contractors.”

The AGC of America-Autodesk Workforce Survey, released last month, found that 38 percent of respondents—whose firms perform all types of nonresidential construction--expect it will take more than six months for their firm’s volume of business to return to normal, relative to a year earlier. That percentage topped the 29 percent who reported business was already at or above year-ago levels.

A likely reason for the more pessimistic outlook is the rapid increase in postponed or canceled projects, the economist said.

He noted that the latest survey found 60 percent of firms report a scheduled project has been postponed or canceled, compared to 12 percent that had won new or additional work as a result of the pandemic.

The employment pickup in September was mainly in homebuilding, home improvement and a portion of nonresidential construction, Simonson noted. There was a rise of 22,100 jobs in residential construction employment, comprising residential building (6,600) and residential specialty trade contractors (15,500). There was a gain of 4,000 jobs in nonresidential construction employment, covering nonresidential building (5,300), specialty trades (2,100) and heavy and civil engineering construction (-3,400).

The industry’s unemployment rate in September was 7.1 percent, with 700,000 former construction workers idled. These figures were more than double the Sep-

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tember 2019 figures of 3.2 percent and 319,000 workers, respectively.

Association officials said that nonresidential construction was likely to continue to stagnate while the pandemic persists without new additional federal coronavirus recovery measures. Those recovery measures must include liability protections for businesses that are protecting workers from the coronavirus, new infrastructure investments and funding for depleted state and local construction budgets, they added.

“Until businesses are confident enough to invest in new development projects and state and local governments are able to invest in public works, the commercial construction sector will not be able to fully recover,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Protecting honest employers, improving our infrastructure and helping state and local officials fix schools and improve other public facilities will create the jobs people need and the momentum our economy requires.”

Source: The Associated General Contractors of America

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MORE THAN BRICKS AND MORTAR

As one of the nation’s largest commercial builders, Turner is dedicated to providing avenues of opportunity for Minority- and Woman-Owned Businesses in Houston to achieve entrepreneurial success.

Our commitment to social responsibility and fair play is not just on paper; it is ingrained in our corporate culture. We are devoted to making sure the contributions that strengthen the local economy reflect the demographics of the community at large.

w w w. t u r n e rc o n s t r u c t i o n . c o m

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ENERGY

CenterPoint Energy Foundation Commits $50,000 to Hurricane Delta Relief

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enterPoint Energy recently announced that through its charitable foundation the company has committed $50,000 to nonprofit organizations leading Hurricane Delta relief and recovery efforts in Louisiana.

CenterPoint Energy's $50,000 commitment CenterPoint Energy's $50,000 commitment will include contributions to the following will include contributions to the following organizations that are focused on relief and organizations that are focused on relief and recovery efforts in Louisiana: recovery efforts in Louisiana: • American Red Cross of Lake Charles – $20,000 • United Way of Southwest Louisiana – $20,000 • United Way of Acadiana – $5,000 • The Salvation Army of Lake Charles – $5,000

"Through the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's contributions to local nonprofit organizations, we continue to provide relief to communities in our Louisiana natural gas footprint, many of whom are still struggling to recover and rebuild from the devastation of Hurricane Laura. Our thoughts are

with CenterPoint Energy's employees and customers who were directly affected," said Alicia Dixon, Director of Community Relations. "The safety and well-being of our employees, customers and communities impacted by Hurricanes Delta and Laura remain our top priorities."

These contributions are in addition to the $350,000 commitment made by the CenterPoint Energy Foundation to local nonprofit organizations and impacted colleagues to aid in relief and recovery from Hurricane Laura. The company serves more than 100,000 customers in south Louisiana and will continue to partner with relief and recovery organizations on opportunities to support impacted communities.

Additionally, mutual assistance crews from CenterPoint Energy's Electric Operations in Houston are helping Entergy Texas and Entergy Louisiana restore power in the impacted areas replacing downed poles, wires and transformers, among other critical work.

Source: CenterPoint Energy

IT & TECHNOLOGY

Keep Your Business Safe from Cybersecurity Threats

Take these simple precautions to defend your business against cyberattacks.

U.S. Small Business Administration

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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ccording to the National Cybersecurity Alliance, many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have the misconception that their data is not valuable and that, in turn, they are unlikely to be the target of a cyberattack. However, 28% of cyberattacks involve small business victims. In short, all data is valuable – and there are simple steps that small business owners can take to protect theirs. This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we encourage you to leverage the following tips and resources to ramp up your cybersecurity safeguards.

Understandthe theMost MostCommon Common Understand Types of Cyberattacks Types of Cyberattacks To effectively prevent cyberattacks, you must first understand some of the ways these threats can present themselves. The most common types of cyberattacks include: • Phishing: Phishing is when cybercriminals send an email or text that appears to be from a legitimate organization or known individual.

These emails

often entice users to click on a link or open an attachment containing malicious code. After the code runs, your computer may become infected with malware (i.e. software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client, or computer network).

• Viruses: Viruses, a type of malware, are harmful programs that spread from computer to computer, giving cyber criminals access to systems.

• Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts access to a computer until a ransom is paid.

AssessYour YourCybersecurity Cybersecurity Assess Vulnerabilities Vulnerabilities Once you understand what cyberattacks can look like, the next step is to evaluate your own operation’s cybersecurity risks.

A cybersecurity risk assessment can identify where a business is vulnerable and

help you create a plan of action, which should include employee training, a strategy for securing email platforms, and a path forward to protect your business’s information assets.

Here are a few government tools you can use for your cybersecurity risk assessment: • Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Planning Tool: The FCC offers a cybersecurity planning tool to help you build a strategy based on your unique business needs.

• Cyber Resilience Review: The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cyber Resilience Review is a non-technical assessment to evaluate operational resilience and cybersecurity practices.

• Cyber Hygiene Vulnerability Scanning: DHS also offers free cyber hygiene vulnerability scanning for small businesses.

• Cyber Essentials: Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Cyber Essentials is a guide for leaders of small businesses as well as leaders of small and local government agencies to develop an actionable understanding of where to start implementing organizational cybersecurity practices.

ImplementBest Best Implement Practices Practices While your risk assessment will help you develop tailored cybersecurity plans based on your unique needs, there are

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also general best practices that all businesses can adopt to reduce vulnerability to a cyberattack. These include: • Beefing up existing cybersecurity protections: Simple acts like changing passwords with stronger ones made up of random letters, numbers, and special characters can help prevent cybercriminals from gaining access to your data. Using multifactor authentication for your accounts and services. Additionally, update antivirus software and secure your Wi-Fi networks.

• Training employees: Cybersecurity is a team effort. Make sure your employees know their roles and responsibilities in preventing breaches, too.

• Protecting sensitive data and backing up the rest: While firewalls and other tech protections are important to warding off cyberattacks, physical protections can be just as essential. For example, lock up company laptops when they are not being used to prevent unauthorized access.

Additionally, make sure that your files are backed up regularly to reduce your business’s susceptibility to ransomware attacks.

Being a small business owner is all consuming, and it can be difficult to find a spare moment. However, making cybersecurity a priority can save you time and money down the line. Visit sba.gov/cybersecurity, along with the Cybersecurity Awareness Month site, for more valuable tips and tools.

For more information, please visit www.sba.gov.

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Seven Steps to Correctly Wear a Respirator at Work Seven Steps to Correctly Wear a Respirator at Work Following these simple steps will help you properly put on and take off your Following these simple stepseveryone will help you respirator, and keep you and elseproperly safe. put on and take off your respirator, and keep you and everyone else safe.

Wash Your Hands ➊➊ Wash Your Hands

WashWash your your hands withwith soapsoap andand water or alcohol-based hand rubs hands water or alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol. containing at least 60% alcohol.

Inspect the Respirator ➋ ➋ Inspect the Respirator

Inspect damage.IfIfititappears appearsdamaged damagedorordamp, damp, Inspectthe therespirator respirator for for damage. do not use it. do not use it.

Put ononthe Put theRespirator Respirator ➌➌

Cuprespirator the respirator in your hand Cup the in your hand with the nosepiece at your with the nosepiece at your fingertips and the straps hanging fingertips and the straps hanging below your hand. below your hand.

Cover your mouth and nosewith with Cover your mouth and nose the respirator and make sure there the respirator and make sure there are no gaps (e.g., facial hair, hair, are no gaps (e.g., facial hair, hair, and glasses) between your face and and glasses) between your face and the respirator. the respirator.

Adjust the Respirator

Adjust the Respirator ➍➍

Place both hands over the respirator.

Repeat until you get a proper seal.

Inhale quickly and then exhale.

If you If youuntil can'tyou getget a proper seal,seal. try Place both hands over the respirator.

Repeat a proper feel leakage from the nose, readjust another respirator.

Inhale quickly and then exhale. If you If you can't get a proper seal, try the nosepiece; if leakage from the feel leakage from the nose, readjust another respirator. respirator edges, readjust the straps.

the nosepiece; if leakage from the respirator edges, readjust the straps.

➏ Remove the Respirator

➏ Remove the Respirator

Placethe thestrap strap over over your your head Place head and and rest at the top back of your head. rest at the top back of your head.

If you have a second strap, place If you have a second strap, place the bottom strap around your the bottom strap around your neck and below your ears. Do not neck and below your ears. Do not crisscross straps. crisscross straps.

IfIfyour nose yourrespirator respiratorhas hasa metal a metal nose clip, use your fingertips from both clip, use your fingertips from both hands to mold the nose area to the hands to mold the nose area to the shape of your nose.

shape of your nose.

➎ Wear Wear the Respirator ➎ the Respirator

Avoid touching the respirator while usingtouching it. If you do, your hands.

Avoid thewash respirator while

Note: If you reuse your respirator, wearreuse gloves when Note: If you your inspecting putting respirator,and wear glovesonwhen the respirator.and Avoid touching inspecting putting on your face (including your the respirator. Avoid touching eyes, and mouth)your yournose, face (including during the process. eyes, nose, and mouth)

using it. If you do, wash your hands.

during the process.

➐ Dispose of the Respirator

➐ Dispose of the Respirator

For more information, see the quick video, "Putting On and For more Taking Off ainformation, Mask".  see the

quick video, "Putting On and Taking Off a Mask". 

Remove the respirator from behind.

Do not touch the front.

If the respirator does not need to be reused because of supply shortages, discard it in a wastedoes receptacle.

Wash your hands.

Ifclosed-bin the respirator not need to be reused

because of supply shortages, discard it in a closed-bin waste receptacle. Wash your hands.

1-800-321-OSHA (6742) TTY 1-877-889-5627

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www.osha.gov

www.osha.gov

OSHA 4015-05 2020

Wash your hands.

Remove the respirator from behind.

Do not touch the front.

OSHA 4015-05 2020

Wash your hands.

14 | October 2020

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LEGAL

Mayor Turner Recognizes National Code Compliance Month October observance promotes public awareness of importance of code enforcement to keep communities safe

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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he City of Houston joins municipalities across the country in the observance of National Code Compliance Month during October to recognize the important role city code enforcement officers play to help maintain safe communities.

During the pandemic, Houston code enforcement officers continue their work as essential workers, deploying to locations throughout the city to inspect homes, apartments, commercial buildings, streets and sidewalks for the safety of Houstonians.

“Our code enforcement officers are certified, highly qualified professionals with a demanding and challenging job,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “They are constantly in the public eye, called upon to apply their knowledge, expertise and community relations skills to deliver excellent customer service. They interact with residents, property owners, city officials and commissions to enforce city codes and keep our city up to standards, clear of blight, nuisances and public safety hazards. During National Code Compliance Month, we invite Houstonians to join us as we proudly thank them for their hard work, professionalism and dedication to serving our city.”

The city’s cadre of code enforcement officers work under several city departments, including the Department of Neighborhoods (DON), the Houston Fire Department (HFD) and Houston Public Works (HPW).

“The quality of life and safety of all city residents depends on the enforcement of the city’s municipal code,” said DON director TaKasha Francis. ‘We proudly

recognize the work our inspectors, crews, support staff and managers carry out year-round to improve the living environment for residents across the city. Our code enforcement officers inspect for compliance on single-family residential property as pertains to overgrown lots, dangerous buildings, junk accumulation, inoperable motor vehicles and graffiti. They enforce codes that prohibit bandit signs on city property and right of way. They also educate residents about how to correct and avoid code violations, aiming for property owner code compliance to avoid the cost of taxpayer dollars for abatements. Further, their work helps keep our communities safe and clean, lowers crime rates, decreases urban decay and illnesses, and increases economic vitality in neighborhoods.”

“We are extremely proud of our department’s code enforcement officers from the Life Safety Bureau and the work they do to keep the public safe,” said HFD Chief Samuel Peña. “They not only conduct inspections to identify and eliminate hazards that help prevent accidents and injury to residents, but also support fire

safety community education. Our code enforcement officers work in teams, assigned to high rise buildings, haz-mat, institutions, special operations, schools, general occupancy, apartments, hotels and motels. I take this opportunity to thank them for the fine work they do in protecting our great city.”

“At Houston Public Works, together we create a strong foundation for Houston to thrive,” said HPW director Carol Haddock. “We review, issue permits for, and inspect more than 30,000 projects each year. Our 200 code officers make sure that buildings where people live and play are safe and that our streets, drainage systems, sidewalks, water and wastewater connections, and even our signs are built to City of Houston codes. Thank you to all the code officers in the City for their dedication to making sure our community is safe and projects comply with Houston’s codes.”

Learn more more about about city city code code enforcement: Learn enforcement: DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS: www.houstontx.gov/ips HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS: www.houstonpermittingcenter.org/building-codeenforcement HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT: www.houstontx.gov/fire/HFMO TO REPORT CODE VIOLATIONS: Call 3-1-1, submit a report online at www.houston311.org, or send an email to 311@houstontx.gov

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Source: houstontx.gov

October 2020 | 15

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16 | October 2020

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The HMSDC Helps Minority Businesses

MBEs should register for HMSDC’s EXPO to gain insight into how they can REIMAGINE their business landscape, RECONNECT to the needs of customers and take advantage of immediate contract opportunities, and RISE STRONGER as a business partner with a clear vision of how to position your company for success.

—Ingrid M. Robinson, HMSDC President

Reimagine Reconnect Rise Stron

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he Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC) is a nonprofit organization committed to driving the economic growth of minorityowned businesses. The HMSDC is a vital link between major corporations and minority business enterprises (MBEs). During this pandemic, our minority business community is facing unforeseen struggles. And continuing to answer the call during these times is the HMSDC. An extension of their efforts is the upcoming HMSDC Virtual EXPO held on November 18th and 19th. This event is Texas’ largest minority business trade-fair, supporting the advancement of our minority business community.

Adapting to COVID-19, this event will be hosted virtually, with a theme reflecting on the state of minority business owners and the advice HMSDC has been offering since earlier this year to: Reimagine. Reconnect.

Rise Stronger.

The EXPO will bring a forum, sessions, award events, and speakers who include Houston Rocket and certified MBE entrepreneur Russell Westbrook III and award-winning TV host, journalist, and author Roland Martin.

HMSDC’s goal is to provide a virtual experience that delivers on their four pillars: Certify, Develop, Connect, and Advocate. They have designed components of this year’s EXPO to address each of the four pillars for attendees to: · Reimagine your business. · Reconnect with customers. · Rise Stronger by investing in your business today to position you for tomorrow.

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To All MBE

The Hous Development a great way to gr know from personal experi and mentorship HMSDC offe strongly encourage your or part of the upcoming HMSD becoming a member.

BOARD MEMBER Keith "MR. D-MARS" Davis, Sr.

President & CEO Vaskey Media Group (MBE)

e. t. nger.

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ston Minority Supplier Council (HMSDC) is row your business. I ience that the support fers is priceless. I rganization to be a DC Expo and consider

.

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USA talked with Ingrid M. Robinson, Q&A: Subcontractors the President of HMSDC, on the upcoming EXPO. Talk about the honorees, speakers, and partners who are supporting the HMSDC to make this virtual EXPO a great success for attendees and the minority business community.

HMSDC is proud of its partnerships with Houston’s most prestigious businesses. HMSDC has had a 20+ year relationship with the Houston Business Journal, which began with our Emerging 10 (E-10) Awards and has grown to include our BizTalk session that provides key insights into the latest business issues impacting Houston industries and businesses.

Each year, our Rigel Awards are HMSDC’s most prestigious awards that recognizes those corporations that are setting new standards and establishing best practices for corporate supplier diversity programs. It also features those MBEs who are providing best in class service to their corporate customers. The Rigel Awards brings exhibitors together with general attendees to receive genuine recognition for their continued support and contribution to the development of minority businesses. This is our opportunity to recognize our champions in minority business development!

corporations and governmental entities in Texas. We reached out to our corporate partners and larger MBEs and asked for donations to invest in our COVID-19 Recertification Assistance Program (RAP). We were pleasantly surprised at how quickly they responded to the need. We are proud to report that we have been able to provide every MBE who has requested assistance with the funds needed to maintain their certification for the next year. We have corporate members like Waste Management who have stepped up to sponsor the certification of 40 black female entrepreneurs who participated in their Share the Mic and the Money Now program.

In addition to this EXPO, how else has the HMSDC been serving/supporting our minority business community in the midst of this pandemic?

We have also received a sponsorship from Russell Westbrook Enterprises that has allowed us to sponsor those 40 black female businesses participating in the Waste Management program through our Pathways As the HMSDC is tracking the contributions of MBEs that to Excellence (P2E) program. P2E is a business selfare helping combat the coronavirus, what have you assessment that helps diverse suppliers understand found? the standards and business requirements used by We have found that MBEs are innovators. They respond major corporations and governmental entities in the to market demands quickly and have formed strategic supplier selection process. P2E provides the technical partnerships to allow them to scale and build capacity, assistance training to close identified gaps within providing the industry with the six pillars (HSSE, Cyber the PPE it needs to protect its Security, Quality, Corporate workers and their families from Policies, Technical, and COVID-19. Some of our MBEs have Financials) reflecting business provided thousands of pieces of standards and corporate PPE equipment to our medical requirements. This increases centers, energy companies, MBEs ability to compete for refineries, and universities. higher added value contracts.

Frankly, our MBEs have also Also, we have been hosting stepped up to support HMSDC, our CEO Conversations other business development program designed to organizations, and MBEs alike. allow MBEs to discuss Firms like Tom Ren’s (Global leadership directly with XLR) donated to nonprofit CEOs and senior executives organizations like HMSDC, SBA, of Houston’s largest public the City of Houston, and others and private institutions. with hundreds of PPE masks for CEO Conversations is a use by staff and to distribute to transformational learning MBEs struggling as a result of journey designed to enable the global pandemic who could large MBE companies to learn not buy cost competitive PPE in from top industry leaders small quantities. In some cases, and enable them to innovate they even offered discounted within their business and pricing to prime suppliers of ultimately within their our major corporations so that industry. Participants the construction industry could engage in robust dialogue —Ingrid M. Robinson, access the demand it needed with peers during the CEO without pulling from the resource Mindshare sessions, allowing HMSDC President stock pile needed by our medical them to share ideas and industry. It is stories like these seek feedback to develop that happen over and over again new solutions to business that make us proud of the MBEs we have in the HMSDC. challenges – all while leveraging learnings from the program. The key sponsor of this program is Accenture.

Talk about your progress on HMSDC’s COVID-19 Relief Featured CEOs since March include: Sylvester Turner, Assistance Program.

Mayor of the City of Houston; Bob Harvey, President and Shortly after COVID-19 shut down our city back in early CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership; Armando Perez, March, the HMSDC did a survey of its MBEs to better Executive Vice President of H-E-B; and Brian Coffman, understand their needs and their struggle to survive as President and CEO of Motiva Enterprises. small businesses. We understood how critical it would be for those struggling firms to be able to maintain their certification in order to do business with major

“HMSDC has been using this time to do some advanced planning, re-evaluating our 1-3-year strategy and programs to ensure we focus on delivering value to our corporate members and MBEs by connecting them through business opportunities, addressing the social demand for change created by inequities facing minority business owners.”

The HMSDC understands the difficulties that this pandemic has brought to businesses, as they have been faced with adapting to these challenging times as well. But through leveraging online learning and communication tools, seeking new sources of revenue to help small businesses through the pandemic, and hosting events like this EXPO, they are remaining sensitive to the needs of their members without diluting the value of their services. For more information and to register for the HMSDC’s Virtual EXPO held on November 18th and 19th, please visit expo. hmsdc.org or call (713) 271-7805.

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OIL AND GAS

ExxonMobil, National Math and Science Initiative

Expand Education Programs to Permian-Area Schools

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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xxonMobil and the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) are bringing college readiness and foundational education programs to students in Permian-area schools in Midland Independent School District and Ector County Independent School District in Texas and the Carlsbad Municipal School District in New Mexico.

• Programs to increase college readiness and advance math and science skills • Independent school districts in Midland and Ector County in Texas and Carlsbad Municipal School District in New Mexico to implement classroom-based and virtual programs • Programs shown to improve Advanced Placement® exam performance

Two core programs will come to the Permian region, including the College Readiness Program — a comprehensive, three-year program designed to increase student participation and performance in Advanced Placement® coursework in math, science, computer science and English.

The second program, called Laying the

Foundation, provides educators of 3rd through 12th grade students with handson training, strategies and resources to raise academic rigor and prepare students for advanced critical and creative thinking. The programs will start in the 2020-21 academic year and can be implemented in both classroom-based and virtual settings.

“ExxonMobil is one of the largest oil and gas operators in the Permian Basin, and we’ve heard from parents and educators that these programs would make a difference for their students and children,” said Bart Cahir, senior vice president of unconventional at ExxonMobil. “Through our association with the National Math and Science Initiative, we’ve been able to increase the value we bring to communities where we operate by strengthening opportunities for today’s students and generations to come.”

ExxonMobil helped launch NMSI in 2007 to improve math and science education across the United States. Schools that implement NMSI programs have been shown to improve

Advanced Placement® exam performance up to five times greater than the national average and improve teacher capacity to advance student achievement at all levels.

Since its founding, NMSI has helped two million students and more than 65,000 teachers.

“Proficiency in math and science is crucial to our country’s capacity for innovation and future economic growth, yet a growing number of today’s students lack foundational knowledge and skills in these subjects,” said Dr. Bernard A Harris, Jr., chief executive officer of the National Math and Science Initiative and the first Black astronaut to complete a spacewalk.

“With ExxonMobil’s generous support, we’re able to continue addressing this critical gap by expanding to school districts in the Permian region.”

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NMSI programs include collaboration and goal setting with partner schools, intensive teacher training and support from expert educators, student study resources, lab and classroom supplies, exam subsidies and greater access to advanced courses to broaden student participation, particularly among Black, Latino, female and military-dependent students. The nonprofit organization uses evidencedbased programming and has expanded its online training and resources to support teachers, students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ExxonMobil has a long history of support for communities where it operates.

Earlier this year, ExxonMobil supported the West Texas Food Bank and the Carlsbad Municipal School District to help those facing difficult economic circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. ExxonMobil is a founding member of the Permian Strategic Partnership, an alliance of 19 energy companies, working in partnership with community leaders to address public education, health care, housing, infrastructure and workforce development.

Source: ExxonMobil

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5

PERMITS

Tips to Get on the Right Path after Months of Delay in Obtaining a Building Permit

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

W

e have all heard the stories of those crazy people with a dream of owning their own business. Be the boss and bake their own pie to enjoy all the slices they choose is often touted to family and friends within an ear shot. Some budding entrepreneurs pull their life savings to start up, others ask family members, and some take the great risk of taking out a bank loan. From bakeries to auto repair shops to banquet halls and on and on, the coins are tossed in the pond for making wishes come true.

This was such the case when our toll-free line rang late on a Friday evening with a gentleman on the other end of the line began telling his story. He was so sure of his success with his new venture, he quit his job months ago to walk the path of his dream. The caller went on to say that he had leased what he thought was the perfect spot, negotiated a great lease, and could see customers lining up to by his tasty fajitas and other hand-made traditional Mexican foods.

Then the unexpected happened. After 6 months, still no permit, savings significantly dwindled, and had started paying rent on an empty space and on new kitchen equipment. With voice cracking, the caller said he needed help with his permit. He had received multiple rejection comments from the jurisdiction, and he was not sure what to do next, especially since his Architect had stopped responding to his calls on status.

After asking a few questions, taking the time to check the rejection comments and briefly reviewing plans, it appeared that the Architect had not submitted a plan set with the details required for the kitchen including plumbing involving grease trap.

Basically, a life-long dream was losing its appeal due to misses in design in the beginning and little or no communication between Architect and Restaurant Owner regarding status of permit. To place the Caller back on the road, we provided 5 key tips to get on the right path to obtaining a building permit after months of delay to the Owner in order to use as a checklist with his Architect until permit is granted.

1 Review plans with selected Architect 2 Go through rejection comments one-by-one and address each comment from jurisdiction 3 Ask if any issues in meeting building codes as outlined in jurisdiction’s comments 4 Obtain timing for making corrections to plans and if any added fees from jurisdiction to resubmit 5 Refrain from assuming and ask Architect if all rejection comments have been responded to and timing to resubmit to jurisdiction

In addition, we encouraged the Restaurant Owner to make sure his GC is registered with jurisdiction to avoid any further delays in picking up permit when plans are approved.

In Conclusion There are approximately 30 million small businesses in the US and the majority of those starting up fall by the wayside for various reasons. In the case with our late Friday evening caller, failing to perform due diligence in the beginning on how long it would take to obtain a building permit and the Architect lack of knowledge on the specific jurisdiction’s requirements caused unexpected delays and a major burn in Owner’s operational money i.e. life savings. If you know of someone in this scenario, consider sharing the above 5 tips to hep them right the ship and get sailing toward living their dream. Call us at 1.844.PERMIT.4 if you have a great permitting story to share or connect with me on Linkedin. #BuildSafe

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SAFETY

ICYMI: U.S. Department of Labor Acts to Help American Workers

And Employers During the Coronavirus Pandemic

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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ecently, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

ReopeningAmerica's America'sEconomy: Economy: Reopening • U.S. Secretary of Labor Scalia Highlights Workforce Development And Economic Recovery During Visit to Miami, Florida – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Miami, Florida, where he visited Miami Dade College's Medical Campus and participated in a roundtable conversation with college leadership and Miami business leaders to discuss the Administration's efforts to train American workers for valuable careers in healthcare. Following the roundtable, Secretary Scalia toured the campus, observed some of the educational programs and spoke with students.

KeepingAmerica's America'sWorkplaces Safe and Keeping Workplaces Safe and Healthy: Healthy: • U.S. Department

of Labor's OSHA Announces $913,133 In Coronavirus Violations – Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Oct. 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited 62 establishments for violations, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $913,133.

DefendingWorkers' Workers'Rights Rightsto Paid Leave and Defending to Paid Leave and Wages Earned: Wages Earned: • Panama City Landscaping Company Pays Back Wages to Employee Wrongly Denied Paid Sick Leave After Coronavirus Diagnosis – A Panama City, Florida-based landscaping company has paid $1,200 in back wages after wrongly denying emergency paid sick leave to an employee who self-quarantined after receiving a coronavirus diagnosis.

• Healthcare Staffing Company Pays More Than $3 Million in Back Wages After Missing Payroll for Employees Conducting Coronavirus Testing – An Overland Park, Kansas staffing company has paid $3,068,859 in back wages to 1,677 contract employees hired to conduct coronavirus testing in Orlando, Florida, under terms of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.

• Alabama Janitorial Company

Pays Back Wages to Employee Denied Paid Family Leave to Care for Children Learning Virtually During Pandemic – A janitorial services company based in Bessemer, Alabama has paid $2,066 in back wages after the employer wrongly denied paid leave under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act to an employee who missed work to care for children engaged in distance learning. The children's school was closed for in-person learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Labor is focused on protecting the safety and health of American workers, assisting our state partners as they deliver traditional unemployment and expanded unemployment benefits, ensuring Americans know their rights to new paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave, providing guidance and assistance to employers, and carrying out the mission of the Department.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

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For more information, please visit www.osha.gov.

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TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION

Texas Central Railroad Reaches Two Historic Milestones

Port Houston Chairman Delivers State Of The Port

The Port Remains Strong, Looks Ahead to Future, Diversity and Inclusion Priorities

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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ort Houston Chairman Ric Campo delivered the State of the Port to the Greater Houston Partnership earlier this month. In his address, he said the entire port complex continues to be a strong force for the Houston region, the state, and the nation. “The team at Port Houston has faced the COVID-19 pandemic head-on, and they continue working every day to keep cargo moving and commerce flowing,” said Chairman Campo. “I always say that people make things possible, and never has that been truer than this year, amid this pandemic.”

He stressed that the health and safety remain the No.1 priority and that nearly twothirds of Port Houston’s team report to work on-site, helping deliver crucial goods.

He underscored that in 2019, nearly 2 million import tons of food, beverages, medical, pharmaceutical, and personal care products were delivered across Port Houston’s eight public docks.

While still seeing solid business flows, the Chairman acknowledged that the Port is not immune from the effects of COVID-19 and has seen small declines in 2020. He reports that as of the end of September, Port Houston is down 3% year-to-date in containers, and steel is also down year-to-date. He added that tonnage across more than all the 200 industries along the Houston Ship Channel is down 5.5% year-to-date thru July.

Liquid bulk facilities are an integral part of the nation’s energy economy. Campo shared that while crude oil exports are down, it can be expected these oil exports will recover post pandemic. The Chairman remarked that the greater Port of Houston international tonnage is still 70% ahead of the next closest U.S. port. “Even with a weak year in 2020, the greater Port of Houston will remain the #1 U.S. port for international trade,” he said.

Noting that oil and gas are cyclical and is currently in a downswing, Campo said, “We are in an excellent position to rebound when the oil price recovers.”

In his address, the Chairman also outlined the plan for the next twenty years, calling the priorities the “Four “C’s” – Channel, Cargo, Community, and Change. This long-range plan includes the Port’s five-year strategic plan, prioritizing people, infrastructure, stewardship, and partnerships. “We cannot foresee the future, but what we can do is plan for it,” he said.

The Chairman stressed that partnerships are key, and Port Houston is strategically focused on creating two-way communication opportunities. He said that

Completion of key regulatory processes makes the Nation’s first high-speed train ready to go

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the organization is opening up the dialogue and building these relationships more over the next several years with the neighboring communities around the port. He highlighted a program with a non-profit organization, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, which is in its beginning stages to use Port Houston property as a public park and recreation space.

Campo also emphasized “great strides” with environmental sustainability for the port. He highlighted that in 2020 Port Houston was the first port authority in the world to make the switch to 100% renewable electricity. “This move will eliminate about 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide from Port Houston’s footprint each year,” Campo said.

During his address, Chairman Campo underscored the topic of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion, saying “we strongly believe that we need to be part of the solution.”

Campo announced that a Portcommissioned study by Griffin and Strong P.C. on the accessibility of the Port’s Small Business Program would be released sometime next month.

Campo provided an update on one of the Port’s biggest, most important, initiatives, the Houston Ship Channel Expansion – Project 11, a widening and deepening project vital to maintaining the Houston Ship Channel as the economic powerhouse that it is today.

“We know the urgency of this expansion. It’s crucial, and the time to act is now,” Campo said. Port Houston is leading efforts to get the necessary federal appropriations to start the construction project sooner and to begin work in 2021.

“Despite all the current challenges, we have remained on-track with Project 11,” he said. Authorization for the project has been included in both the House and Senate versions of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) legislation. Congress will need to pass the final bill.

“We are continuing discussions with industry to find ways for industry to participate in half the cost of the channel expansion- a commitment that they have made, “Campo added.

In closing remarks, Campo underscored Port Houston's resilience. “As a nation, we will recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and at Port Houston, we are confident our cargo numbers will increase again,” he said.

Campo concluded and said, “We are ready now, and we will be ready then. Port Houston, and the Houston Ship Channel, have always been something you can count on; during times of prosperity, times of recession, and now times of pandemic. It will continue to bring economic value and jobs to our region, today, tomorrow, and in the future.”

he U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has released the final Rule of Particular Applicability (RPA) and the Record of Decision (ROD) for Texas Central Railroad, LLC, marking a major achievement for the historic high-speed rail project and bringing it closer to construction.

The RPA provides the regulatory framework for Texas Central Railroad, establishing a comprehensive set of safety requirements that will govern the high-speed rail system’s signal and trainset control, track, rolling stock, operating rules and practices, system qualifications, and maintenance. This RPA is based on a systems approach to safety which incorporates accident avoidance measures that are significantly more stringent than those required for conventional U.S. rail operations.

The system Texas Central Railroad proposes to build in Texas will replicate the service-proven Japanese Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed rail system, as operated by the Central Japan Railway Company (JRC). Texas Central chose this system because of its reputation as being one of the safest and most punctual train systems in the world. In its 55+ year history, it has transported over 10 billion passengers with an impeccable safety record of zero operational passenger fatalities and zero accidents since first deployed. As noted by the FRA, “this regulation was written specifically for this technology to maintain the integrity of the baseline safety case” of JRC’s Tokaido Shinkansen and establishes “regulatory requirements codifying the service-proven technological, operational, and maintenance aspects of the Tokaido Shinkansen HSR system.”

The ROD completes the FRA’s environmental review process that began in 2014 as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and culminated with the publication of the 10,000+ page Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that was released on May 29, 2020. The ROD also formally selects the alignment* that Texas Central Railroad will follow between Dallas and Houston.

The full ROD/RPA will be published in the Federal Register soon. *The alignment selected by FRA is referred to as Build Alternative A in the ROD. “This is the moment we have been working towards,” said Carlos Aguilar, CEO of Texas Central Railroad.

“The release of the final RPA and ROD by the Federal Railroad Administration represents years of work by countless individuals, affirming a very thorough and careful federal regulatory process that will make the Texas Central Railroad the first high-speed rail system to be implemented in the United States.”

Visit porthouston.com for more information.

For more, please visit www.texascentral.com.

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