Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUB)

The program focuses on certification of service-disabled veterans (SDV) to facilitate their growth and development and increase VetHUB contracts and subcontracts with the State of Texas.

• VetHUB certification is free of charge and good for up to four years, provided that the business continues to meet the eligibility requirements.
• Only certified VetHUBs are listed in the online Texas VetHUB Directory. State agencies use the HUB Directory in conjunction with the Comptroller's Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL) to solicit bids from certified VetHUB for state purchasing and public works contracts. Prime contractors also use the VetHUB Directory to identify VetHUBs to whom they will send notification of their subcontracting opportunities.
• For purchases of $10,000 or less, state entities can directly contact a business to buy goods and services.
• The Texas VetHUB Directory is also searched by vendors looking for certified VetHUB to include in their subcontracting plans for projects of $100,000 or more.
• Increased exposure to the general public as well as other entities that are searching for service disabled veteran-owned businesses.

VetHUB Certification, administered by the Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA), through the Veteran Heroes United in Business Program requires specific information about the small business and supporting documentation to substantiate and verify the business structure is VetHUB eligible. The review process begins upon receipt of a complete application that includes the supporting documentation required per business structure.

• Applications will be date stamped, a business file will be created and entered into our database, and assigned to a certification specialists.
• A certification specialist will review the file for completeness based on the VetHUB eligibility criteria with clarification requests send by email. Upon certification approval, a vendor profile will be uploaded into the VetHUB Directory.
• Proof of VetHUB certification can be found on the VetHUB Directory and can be downloaded as needed once the business is certified.
• VetHUB Status code "A" signifies a company's "Active" status as a Texas certified VetHUB. The CMBL Registration System will allow access to the VetHUB Directory profile.
• It is the vendor's responsibility to prepare the profile and maintain the information is accurate and up to date.

The RRC Mentor Protégé Program is designed to foster relationships between prime contractors and Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUBs). The objective of the Mentor Protégé Program is to provide professional guidance and support to the protégé (VetHUB) in order to facilitate their growth and development and increase VetHUB contracts and subcontracts with the State of Texas for service-disabled veterans.

The mentor-protégé relationship is mutually beneficial since mentors can use their protégés to fulfill VetHUB subcontracting requirements when bidding on state contracts with expected values of $100,000 or more. It is advantageous to build a partnership prior to a solicitation or contract award to establish confidence in performance.

State agencies serve as sponsors for the Mentor Protégé agreements. Companies interested in establishing a state Mentor Protégé agreement should:

1. Contact a state agency you have already done business with or contact agencies that purchase the goods and services your company provides.
2. Ask how they match prospective mentors and protégés.

Administration

Each state agency with a biennial appropriation that exceeds $10 million, shall implement a Mentor Protégé Program. State agencies may elect to implement a Mentor Protégé Program individually or cooperatively, and are encouraged to address the needs of protégé businesses in critical areas of state procurement.

Participation in the program requires the protégé be State of Texas VetHUB certified and the Mentor Protégé Agreement be sponsored by a state agency.

The following criteria may be considered for Mentor participation by state agencies:

• Registration with the State of Texas Centralized Master Bidders List,
• Previous mentoring experience and prior work history,
• Ability to provide developmental guidance in areas identified by the protégé, and
• "Good Standing" in doing business with the State of Texas.

The following criteria may be considered for Protégé participation by state agencies:

• Eligibility and willingness to obtain VetHUB certification under the State of Texas VetHUB Program (Protégé must be certified prior to SPD listing the Mentor Protégé Agreement on the official list).
• Business in operation for at least one year,
• Desire to participate with a mentoring firm,
• Ability to identify the type of guidance needed for business development, and
• "Good Standing" in doing business with the State of Texas.

For more information regarding the VetHUB Mentor Protégé Program, visit the CPA Website at VETHUB Mentor Protégé Program.

Before the agency solicits bid, proposals, offers or other applicable expressions of interest, contract documents of $100,000 or more shall determine whether subcontracting opportunities are probable under the contract. If subcontracting opportunities are probable, the RRC’s invitation for bids or other purchase solicitation documents for construction, professional services, other services, and commodities with an expected value of $100,000 or more shall state that probability and require a VetHUB HSP.

The RRC shall make a good-faith effort to increase the contract awards for the purchase of good or services to VetHUBs based on rules adopted by the Commission to implement the disparity study described by TGC (§) 2161.002 [c].

The purpose of the VetHUB Program is to facilitate growth and development and increase business opportunities for service-disabled veterans (SDV) through contracts and subcontracts.

IF YOUR BID RESPONSE DOES NOT CONTAIN A VetHUB SUBCONTRACTING PLAN, YOUR RESPONSE SHALL BE REJECTED AS A MATERIAL FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE ADVERTISED SPECIFICATIONS.

Instructions

1. VetHUB HSP Development and Good-Faith Effort Requirements:
   1. The respondent shall divide the contract work into reasonable lots or portions to the extent consistent with prudent industry practices.
   2. The respondent shall use the Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL), the HUB Directory, and may use other Internet resources and directories as identified by the contracting agency to identify VetHUBSs that perform the type of work required for each subcontracting opportunity identified in the contract specifications or any other subcontracting opportunity the respondent cannot complete with its own equipment, supplies, materials, and/or employees.
   3. The respondent shall provide notice to three (3) or more VetHUBs that perform the type of work required for each subcontracting opportunity the respondent cannot complete with its own equipment, supplies, materials, and/or employees. The preferable method of notification to VetHUBs shall be in writing and, as applicable, should include:
      • The scope of work;
      • Information regarding the location to review plans and specifications;
      • Information about bonding and insurance requirements;
      • Information about required qualifications and specifications; and
      • Identify a contact person
   4. Unless circumstances require a different time period that shall be specified by the contracting agency and documented in the agency's contract file, the respondent's subcontracting opportunity notice(s) must be provided to the potential VetHUB subcontractors no less than seven (7) working days prior to the submission of the respondent's bid, proposal, offer, or other applicable expression of interest to the contracting agency.
   5. On forms provided by the contracting agency and prescribed by CPA, the respondent shall document the VetHUBs contacted for each subcontracting opportunity. The respondent should negotiate in good faith with qualified VetHUB vendors and not reject qualified VetHUBs who were the best-valued responsive bidder to their subcontracting opportunity.
   6. The respondent shall provide written justification of the selection process if a VetHUB subcontractor is not selected.
   7. Prior to contract award, the respondent shall provide the contracting agency with supporting documentation (phone logs, fax transmittals, electronic mail, etc.) to document their good faith effort in the development and submission of their VetHUB HSP.
2. Alternatives to Good Faith Effort Requirements (Applicable to the VetHUB Mentor Protégé Agreements and Professional Services Contracts Only)
   • A respondent’s participation as a mentor in a State of Texas Mentor-Protégé Program and a commitment to use their protégé (must be a Texas-certified VetHUB) as a subcontractor to perform the subcontracting opportunity (ies) listed in its VetHUB VetHUB HSP (Texas Government Code, Chapter 2161.065) may constitute a good-faith effort without performing the procedures listed in item 1. For additional information, please contact the VetHUB Coordinator for the contracting agency.
3. A respondent who submits a VetHUB HSP for a professional services contract that meets or exceeds Annual Procurement Utilization goals for Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUBs).

NOTE: The contracting agency does not endorse any company or individual identified on any listings/directories included or referenced herein. A complete list of State of Texas-certified VetHUBs may be accessed online.