Colette Holt & Associates (“CHA”) was asked by the City of San Antonio, Texas, to conduct a disparity study investigating its Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program. 

The study determined the City’s utilization of Minority-owned Business Enterprises (“MBEs”) and Woman-owned Business Enterprises (“WBEs,” collectively, “M/WBEs”) in the state during calendar years 2014 through 2020; the availability of these businesses as a percentage of all businesses in the geographic and industry market sectors served by the City; and any discrepancies between the City's use of M/WBEs and M/WBE contacts' availability. 

Further, the study examined economic inequities in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area and throughout Texas to assess whether hurdles still prevent blacks and women from achieving their goals when corrective action is not implemented. The disparity study discovered persistent differences in worker wages, entrepreneur wage earnings, and minority and female business formation rates. Qualitative data about the experiences of M/WBEs in acquiring city contracts was also gathered. 

The Disparity Study also shows that M/WBEs accounted for 53% of City-funded contract payments. This is a significant improvement from the study conducted in 2015 when the number was just 23%.

Based on these findings, the SBEDA Program was evaluated for adherence to constitutional standards and national best practices. The report recommended the City keep applying the SBEDA program's specifically designed tools based on racial and gender lenses to mitigate the remaining disparities in city contracting and balance out general inequities in the overall San Antonio market region.