AABE Survey
The Bexar County UTSA African-American Business Enterprise (AABE) Survey was performed by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Center for Community and Business Research in coordination with the Bexar County Small Business & Entrepreneurship Department in 2016 as an effort to identify African-American Businesses and the challenges they face when doing business with Bexar County and other government agencies.
The survey identified more than 7,000 AABEs in Bexar County, making up a total of 3.8% of all firms in the Bexar Metro Service Area. The key issues discovered are:
- Few AABEs had paid employees
- Limited financial capacity and cash flow
- Limited bonding experience
- Limited networking & marketing capabilities
- Limited administrative capacity
- Few firms have more than 5 employees
Through this survey, we have identified that there is not parity between the number of AABEs (3.8% of all businesses) and the African-American population at large (7% of population in 2012). More than 80% of respondents do not have prior experience with Bexar County, and 65% of them did not submit a bid in 2015. Primary concerns of AABE survey respondents were as follows:
- Requested feedback on bidding results or rejection
- Transparency in the bidding process
- Perceptions of unfairness, even when applying as subcontractors
- Concerns of "one size fits all" prequalification requirements
- Bonding, past performance, credit
- Confusion about minority certification and vendor registration
- Bexar County accepts all certifications
Barrier |
Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Administrative Capacity | Management Assistance & Training |
| Productive & Financial Capacity (i.e. loans, bonding & insurance) |
Debundling Projects, Teaming & Business Development (build financial capacity) |
| Government Contracting Experience | Build Qualifications & Educate |
| Matchmaking Events Through SBED Office (e.g. annual SMWVBO Conference) and Build Marketing Capacity |
|
| Industrial Category Mismatch | Increase transferal capacity (transfer skills and resources for County needs) |
View the AABE Survey Implementation Presentation, 9/14/2017 (PDF)
View the AABE Survey Report Presentation to Commissioners Court, 1/24/2017 (PDF)
View the AABE Survey Executive Summary (PDF)
View the AABE Survey Summary (PDF)
View the AABE Survey Bexar County Commissioner Prescient Data (PDF)
View the AABE Survey Addendum (PDF)
View the AABE Survey Appendix (PDF)
Bexar County SBED is committed to working with AABEs & all small, minority, and women-owned businesses to assist in overcoming these barriers with capacity-building programs focused on education & training, peer-to-peer round tables, and collaborative efforts & events. By enabling AABEs to work with Bexar County, we will build a robust, diverse pool of businesses and resources to meet the needs of our residents.
For more information on capacity-building and information on the services of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Department, contact us at (210) 335-2478 or email the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Department at rwatson@bexar.org.