When Opportunity Is Mistaken for Preference
A recent federal court ruling blocking race-conscious provisions of Houston’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise contracting program threatens the fair access that allows qualified, historically underrepresented businesses to compete.
By Rachel Bickham, Chamber Board Member and CEO of Chamber member Bickham Services Unlimited LLC
A recent federal court ruling blocking race-conscious provisions of Houston’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) contracting program is deeply concerning—not only for minority- and women-owned businesses, but for our entire region.
As the CEO of a certified minority-owned business, Bickham Unlimited Services LLC, I know firsthand what these programs do—and what they do not do.
They do not guarantee contracts. They do not lower standards. They create access: the opportunity to get in the room and compete.
Certification Opens Doors—Performance Wins Contracts
MWBE certification has opened doors to subcontracting opportunities, partnerships, and valuable experience that helped my company grow. But certification alone does not win contracts.
We still must demonstrate our qualifications, deliver exceptional work, and compete based on our experience and performance.
Supplier-diversity programs help ensure that qualified businesses historically excluded from contracting opportunities have a meaningful chance to participate. That is not preferential treatment. It is an effort to create a fairer and more competitive marketplace.
Bias in Business Still Exists
The reality is that bias in business has not disappeared.
I once walked into a meeting and heard someone say they did not want to work with Black people—before I even had the opportunity to introduce myself.
For many minority business owners, our capabilities are too often judged through the lens of bias before our qualifications, experience, or work are ever considered. Programs designed to expand access help businesses overcome those barriers and reach the point where they can compete on their merits.
This is not about special treatment. It is about fair access.
The Impact Extends Beyond One Business
Supplier-diversity programs strengthen competition by bringing more qualified businesses into the contracting process. Diverse small businesses create jobs, strengthen communities, build local capacity, and contribute to economic growth.
When access narrows, the consequences extend far beyond one company or one contract. Workers, families, neighborhoods, and the broader business community all feel the impact.
I stand with the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council, and the organizations advocating for meaningful access to public contracting opportunities.
We are not asking for contracts to be given to us. We are asking for the opportunity to compete—and that is worth protecting.
Watch my interview with ABC13 to hear more.
The Chamber Stands for Fair Access
The Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce stands with Rachel and the many minority-, women-, LGBTQ+-, and other historically underrepresented business owners who deserve a fair opportunity to compete.
Supplier-diversity programs help remove barriers, expand access, and ensure that qualified businesses are not excluded from opportunity because of bias or historic inequities. Protecting these programs strengthens our small-business community, creates greater competition, and supports economic growth throughout our region.
We will continue to advocate for an inclusive economy in which every qualified business has the opportunity to enter the room, demonstrate its value, and compete.
👉 Read the Chamber’s statement regarding the ruling.