Office of Business Opportunity
Department Services
The Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) is continuing its efforts to promote the growth and success of local, small, and historically underutilized businesses by ensuring their meaningful participation in the City's procurement process, prior to award, on all goal-oriented contracts. The Procurement Specialists on OBO’s Department Services team offers trainings, in conjunction with subject matter experts from various departments, through its Department Services Training Institute (DSTI). DSTI covers a variety of topics that play a role in making the City's procurement process as competitive and diverse as possible, such as:
- Setting Contract Specific Goals
- Commercially Useful Functions of Certified Firms: What It Means and How Departments Can Ensure Compliance
- Demonstrating Good Faith Efforts Pre-Award and Post-Award
- Identifying Certified and Hire Houston First Firms to Work on Contracts
- MWSBE Participation Goals: New Opportunities for Houston Businesses
- Pay or Play Program
Department Services Training Institute Sessions (.pdf)
- Maximizing MWBE Participation Draft Presentation (November 2021)
- Request for Proposal (RFP) Technical Writing Workshop
- Good Faith Efforts Policy Review Presentation - Aug. 2014
- Maximizing MWSBE Participation Presentation November 2019
- Pay or Play (POP) Presentation
Other OBO Department Services Documents (.doc and .docx)
- DOCUMENT 00470: Bidder's MWSBE Participation Plan (updated February 2026)
- DOCUMENT 00471: Good Faith Efforts Outreach (updated February 2026)
- DOCUMENT 00472: Bidder's MWSBE Good Faith Efforts Justification (updated February 2026)
- Bidder’s Pre-Award Deviation Documents MWSBE Participation Documents
- DOCUMENT 00570: Bidder's Revised MWSBE Participation Plan (updated March 2026)
- DOCUMENT 00571: Post-Bid Good Faith Efforts (updated March 2026)
- DOCUMENT 00572: Post Award Plan Deviation Request (updated March 2026)
- DOCUMENT 00800: Supplementary Conditions (published March 2026)
- DOCUMENT 00803: Work Order Supplementary Conditions (published March 2026)
- DOCUMENT 00808: Requirements for MWSBE Construction Contracts (updated March 2026)
Questions regarding the Department Services Training Institute should be directed to obodepartmentservices@houstontx.gov or to Tifney Scott at tifney.scott@houstontx.gov (or via phone at 832.393.0626).
Contact OBO
611 Walker Street, Seventh Floor
Houston, TX 77002
OBO Director
OBO Social Media
