[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6458299,"mediaKeyId","5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe","parentId",5822744,"title","San Antonio committee advances review of city procurement with focus on supplier engagement and capacity building","audioSeconds",1538,"startMs",79000,"endMs",1617000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe&start=79&end=1617","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe/thumbnail_79000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6458299/San-Antonio/Bexar-County/Texas/San-Antonio-committee-advances-review-of-city-procurement-with-focus-on-supplier-engagement-and-capacity-building","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458299-bf383361b195c8f8b55eb31bb6508987/orig.mp4?Expires=1770522948&Signature=M4qScp52pDNkyZHtsVSe3y~NoMqA5D1iipKBHZVL7e7Hp2ld2-PAgT8wZPijCDAjo~3UuuOiEC4BGdkxgXGz05eTe1f46-3J4C3aoTEzNiG6WhdjDCmKJLCVZ7iV1-QoOIeF91usWpHnZcObqtWhUzPjjQp0pQcUlAI0SnHPMRf9xrmeXZjptYOW40SYtBlF0lKGVwg4ZxhMPHrKMAZiODEkv0Q8cGrT6X~2lSAERnvdCVBZ9iTX~H4bUflqOIo1HvZndP~zib~V2zTLRr2jP7u2oP4MMnf-mtPPKsMWCwL~ma4gagDQEyP46prn9rPQNjb6~c9~RVH548ebuJ6ZEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Antonio","date","2025-09-24T00:00:00Z","article","The Economic and Workforce Development Committee on Sept. 24 voted to direct staff to begin a review of San Antonio's procurement processes aimed at increasing supplier engagement, building vendor capacity and updating procurement procedures.

The review was presented by Troy Elliott, the city's chief financial officer, who told the committee the mayor asked the body to lead a review of procurement and report back to the full City Council no later than Oct. 1 with a proposed approach. Elliott said the procurement division runs roughly 400 procurements a year that exceed $50,000 and that fiscal year 2024 procurement awards totaled about $2.4 billion. \"We have about a little less than 80 people in the procurement division,\" Elliott said during the briefing.

Why it matters: Council members said the review could affect how widely city contracts reach local and veteran-owned businesses and how quickly public works and projects are completed. Committee members asked staff to include clearer metrics and public-facing reporting on local impact as the review proceeds.

Details of the proposal and timeline: Elliott proposed work in three focus areas: supplier engagement (better notification and forecasts of solicitations, outreach and events), capacity building for prospective vendors (training on submission portals, insurance and bonding assistance) and a review of procurement processes tied to planned software and systems upgrades. Staff said they expect to present a FY2026 procurement forecast to the audit committee in November, a full-council B-session briefing in December, a deeper presentation in February and a comprehensive plan by July 2026. Elliott said the city is seeking an integrator for its SAP implementation and planning to upgrade Ariba procurement tools, and staff wish to incorporate system-built best practices rather than make immediate process changes.

Committee discussion and concerns: Committee members pressed for specific data to measure local impact, including how many solicitations draw only a single bidder and where awarded contractors operate and hire. Councilmember Galvan asked that labor trade unions be included among stakeholder groups; Elliott said staff would cast a broad net for stakeholders. Councilmember Spears said she would like to see metrics on who is being served and called out insurance and payment timing as barriers for small businesses.

Action taken: A committee member moved to authorize staff to proceed with the review incorporating the focus areas discussed in the meeting; the motion passed. The motion did not record a named mover or recorded roll-call votes in the committee minutes.

Next steps: Staff will prepare the procurement forecast and follow the timeline Elliott described, incorporate committee feedback on stakeholder engagement (including labor and veterans outreach), and return with more detailed proposals and metrics for committee and council review.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","San Antonio - Economic and Workforce Development Committee Meeting Sep 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Economic and Workforce Development Committee voted Sept. 24 to move forward with a mayor-requested review of the city's procurement processes, prioritizing supplier engagement, capacity building and process modernization and setting a timeline for committee and council briefings.","taxTitle","San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas","taxId",2771,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6458291,"Committee recommends reducing Small Business Advisory Commission to 11 seats to ease quorum and vacancies",624,2400000,3024000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe&start=2400&end=3024","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe/thumbnail_2400000.jpg","/articles/6458291/San-Antonio/Bexar-County/Texas/Committee-recommends-reducing-Small-Business-Advisory-Commission-to-11-seats-to-ease-quorum-and-vacancies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458291-c95067ace5a27137626f844c23a8c0b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770522948&Signature=OkXTkvDdXcn~imuAdGw2m6Il5OchdTJiUAOez48vwI0DwX42-sGAjaVuAm-S9yIy~UrS44JO3v1URed74m01maNMVKhR7nxn1Kqv9SxMgOpPuWmcua8Q3aWxxuKSgCzUGJUDfkqRedyZ980jysOnRl5CAdejCmnHgL600Gv6npJefM5mLO~GhifmRxpT8c2hsWk0UppPIHgKvGr8nTAX5subSv4e5jyIMWBlxLP132Pk0bhTYvquCJuFFS4~Uw12XktMsSdVEIlmBsjR-2~jfdvAvsX3v01GcpTF0Qx8qb7sCCUEPT9rDJF78khTTIvZ2BCpP~Ht0egmB0IZfJVgTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Economic Development staff told the Economic and Workforce Development Committee on Sept. 24 that vacancies and holdover appointments have made it difficult for the Small Business Advisory Commission (SBAC) to maintain quorums and conduct effective meetings.

Alfred Brewer, assistant director for economic development, said the SBAC was formed in 2021 and currently is in transition; only two district appointees (D8 and D10) were seated while other members were on holdover status. Staff recommended amending the ordinance that created SBAC to reduce membership from 15 seats to 11, retain categorical representation (trade organizations, non-profits, small businesses with fewer than 10 employees, small businesses with 10'50 employees, and targeted industries) and eliminate the four at-large appointments.

Why it matters: Staff said the reduced size should make it easier to fill seats, improve quorum rates and preserve the board's mission to advise on small-business policy and outreach. The recommendation does not change SBAC's mission or the commission's responsibilities under the ordinance.

Discussion and clarifications: Committee members asked how the SBAC relates to Sabeta (a separate small-business economic development advocacy program); staff said Sabeta focuses on program-specific matters tied to its ordinance, while SBAC reviews the broader small-business ecosystem and policy issues. Councilmembers also emphasized inclusion of veteran-owned businesses and continued community outreach.

Action taken: A member moved to recommend an ordinance to amend the SBAC composition requirements and forward it to the full City Council; the motion passed. The motion was recorded as a recommendation to place an ordinance before the full council for consideration.

Next steps: Staff will prepare the ordinance amendment language and transmit the item to the City Council for consideration. The SBAC will continue to operate under its existing mission while appointments are adjusted to the new composition if approved by council.

","Staff asked the committee to endorse an ordinance amendment reducing the Small Business Advisory Commission from 15 to 11 members and removing at-large seats while retaining category representation; the committee voted to recommend the ordinance to full council.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6458296,"Ad hoc working group formed to pursue Spain flight connections and World Cup base camp",763,1619000,2382000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe&start=1619&end=2382","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe/thumbnail_1619000.jpg","/articles/6458296/San-Antonio/Bexar-County/Texas/Ad-hoc-working-group-formed-to-pursue-Spain-flight-connections-and-World-Cup-base-camp","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458296-d2cc690900cf463800a0421d7e4426e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770522948&Signature=Opo1iM9LvOvK-Yalc00AqoPot7I9jKqUq2uft~P7EUgu68gYV8xiYvM3ZrihAeVcsAgVvckt4Iufnx-7g~ka5ryn4cK5dePjFKkY2HJ3pKA3Qg0dFmN3qUmPjiY35K4XRkbbNLGDE8WGV3g8hP15K8iE4G0J7zsNNQndvS7Fzxc3IJG5zV5snEbMEfILzCQnmUKllH~Ch1Z7SE1PlJqXXWTWyowWTUeoURP7uO6UQuIpL54QEx2Htt-4tdLokxU0KkWEkwhWEg~8Ik9A3wVjmiygpPEAzTRrf~PtpT3vi9ReDC35QuNo14ZLP1E3dzJyPmd0xoR7Uo3QhW0CDFWMXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Economic and Workforce Development Committee voted on Sept. 24 to establish an ad hoc working group to explore increased flight connectivity between San Antonio and Spain and to evaluate San Antonio's prospects to serve as a base camp for a national team during the 2026 World Cup.

Economic Development Director Brenda Hicks Sorensen told the committee that a recent delegation from Lanzarote highlighted opportunities in food, wine, tourism and trade tied to the city's newly formalized sister-city relationship. \"Our recommendation is to move forward with that working group, specifically focused on those 2 areas,\" Sorensen said.

Purpose and scope: Staff recommended the working group focus on two tasks: (1) opportunities to expand flight connectivity between San Antonio and Spain and (2) evaluating the prospect of San Antonio serving as a 2026 World Cup base camp. The recommended membership included representatives from the honorary consulate of Spain in San Antonio, aviation, economic development, Visit San Antonio, Greater SATX and EWDC appointees; staff said membership would rotate among EWDC members.

Discussion highlights: Committee members raised questions about including small businesses and community stakeholders, adding benchmarks for return on investment, and leveraging local venues. Councilman Galvan asked that universities and school districts be considered for exchange programs and community engagement. During discussion, staff identified Toyota Field as a potential facility to serve as a home base for a team.

Action taken: The committee moved to establish the ad hoc working group for the stated purposes and to sunset the group on Jan. 31, 2027, or upon completion of the charge; the motion passed. The committee also directed staff to provide memo updates and to be prepared to agendize items for the committee as needed.

Next steps: Staff will circulate working-group membership and provide periodic memos to the committee. The city will pursue stakeholder engagement to refine objectives, benchmarks and potential public-private partners for flights and team-hosting logistics.

","The committee approved an ad hoc working group to explore flight connectivity between San Antonio and Spain and the prospect of San Antonio serving as a 2026 World Cup team base; the group will sunset in January 2027 or on completion of its charge.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6458286,"City plans refresh of economic development strategy; councilmembers seek clearer goals and data before consultant solicitation",1250,3057000,4307000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe&start=3057&end=4307","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5822744-66442efecaf71ca86548eb42ae4820fe/thumbnail_3057000.jpg","/articles/6458286/San-Antonio/Bexar-County/Texas/City-plans-refresh-of-economic-development-strategy-councilmembers-seek-clearer-goals-and-data-before-consultant-solicitation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458286-69c6fcff072252be87892d0a01fb087c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770522948&Signature=LsvGE4uBIoo70E6mwOQst~mx2IaP4w5JPvhjCt9F2-m8jdNXsAfOb3qUH6f4ymS6Zu2FbKdC8BNukWURVked7k1n5~p7oO71dNr9KUQV-EEUHAPpPIoKH3~jIPR8YaI04LSTCtr~GLCiRLU04CWVA5OXAYiD0wRF9evtmEpReYGRMKC-VHfNd~-tu1s9XJx6D7V2Ru2iux0gK-JwmQZ-lXoJx1UR2fpx-e3j2YeT1UxQuLz-IgyaK8Sc8~OoKi5hQr3Wvaw~PlyhrCGc0cT8r44GHBiIshOKwFGiHcgUbcp~PEEtsv0W6RR8z09AcXiOMW4QGwDRBVUtja~BBVnVfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City economic development staff on Sept. 24 outlined a planned refresh of the city's economic development strategic framework for fiscal year 2026 that will incorporate a small-business ecosystem assessment and an international strategy, and highlighted performance reporting tools used to track program outcomes.

Economic Development Director Brenda Hicks Sorensen said the refresh will include a target-industry deep dive, a supply-chain gap analysis and a site-identification study. She said staff had previously solicited a small-business ecosystem assessment earlier in the year but canceled the solicitation and decided it would be more strategic to include that work within the broader framework refresh.

Why it matters: The strategic framework guides city programs and budget priorities for business attraction, small-business support, workforce and placemaking. Staff pointed to prior work under the framework that led to ARPA-funded small-business programs, facade grants and other initiatives; they also noted the department's public performance dashboard used to report program metrics.

Committee concerns and requested clarifications: Multiple council members said they support a refresh but asked staff for clearer, shorter-term deliverables and for cost and scope estimates before issuing a new solicitation. Chair Villagran asked staff to brief newly seated council members so everyone has shared expectations about the refresh and its goals. The chair said she wanted staff to return next month with \"the clear goals in terms of what this would cost and how this program would be spent.\" Councilmembers also emphasized the need to measure outcomes (changes in revenue, employment and other impacts) rather than event counts and called for better data on where procurement and program dollars flow across neighborhoods.

Staff timeline: Sorensen and staff expect to issue a solicitation soon for consultant services to lead data collection, stakeholder engagement and analysis; staff said preliminary findings and stakeholder engagement would take place in spring, with final reports and a fully developed work plan in 2027. Staff emphasized the need to align the refresh with other city plans and departments and to ensure recommendations are actionable and tied to performance measures.

No committee action was taken on the refresh at the Sept. 24 meeting; the item was a briefing. Committee members asked staff to return with clarified goals, budget estimates and a plan to brief council colleagues before the solicitation moves forward.

","Staff presented plans to refresh San Antonio's economic development strategic framework, fold in an updated small-business ecosystem assessment and an international strategy; committee members asked for clearer deliverables, cost estimates and data on program outcomes before issuing a solicitation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

San Antonio committee advances review of city procurement with focus on supplier engagement and capacity building

Committee recommends reducing Small Business Advisory Commission to 11 seats to ease quorum and vacancies

Ad hoc working group formed to pursue Spain flight connections and World Cup base camp

City plans refresh of economic development strategy; councilmembers seek clearer goals and data before consultant solicitation