Click on a section below to learn about the latest in small business news and what the BA&R Division is currently supporting.

The Texas Department of Insurance Survey

Dear Small Business Employer,

The Texas Department of Insurance is asking for your help with a special study of the problems small businesses (2-50 employees) on the Texas-Mexico Border face when trying to purchase health insurance.

The Texas Department of Insurance has been awarded a federal State Planning Grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a plan for expanding health insurance in Texas.

Under the program, their office is collecting information that will be used to determine the most effective methods to provide all Texas citizens with high-quality, affordable health insurance.

Because small businesses are such a vital part of the Texas economy, they are focusing on alternatives designed for this sector. Additionally, because the border region is a unique and expansive region in Texas, we want to study this area closely to determine if there are special circumstances faced by small businesses on the border.

As the owner or manager of a small business, your personal experience and opinions are vital to the success of this project. As such, we would like to ask you to complete a short survey about health insurance that can be found by clicking the links below.

The survey is completely anonymous and should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. You are not asked to identify your company; however, we do ask you to provide your zip code at the end of the survey. This is simply to assure that all areas of the border are adequately represented in our survey. If you cannot answer a question, please skip that question and continue with the next one. While we believe that most questions can quickly and easily be answered, there may be some information that you do not have. Please do not let that keep you from completing the survey.

Throughout the survey, a few terms are used that you may not recognize. The following definitions may be of some help:

CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) - refers to the joint state and federal program that provides health insurance for children for a small monthly premium. Also commonly referred to as TexCare Partnership CHIP.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) - a type of managed care health plan that requires individuals to use doctors that participate in the health plan's network.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) - a type of managed care health plan arrangement in which health care providers contract to provide services at a discounted price. However, the individual may also use providers outside the network, but must pay higher fees for doing so.

Thank you in advance for your assistance with this project. Please be assured that the information you provide will be put to good use. This study provides an opportunity for Texas to develop meaningful solutions for small businesses. If you have any questions, you may reach the State Planning Grant staff at 512-322-4323 or at the address shown at the top of this letter. We look forward to receiving your survey soon.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Dianne Longley

Special Projects Director

Life, Health and Licensing

To participate in the survey click on the links below:

If your company (2-50 employees) offers health insurance click here:

https://wwwapps.tdi.state.tx.us/inter/asproot/company/health/survey.asp

If you company (2-50 employees) does NOT offer health insurance click here:

https://wwwapps.tdi.state.tx.us/inter/asproot/company/healthsurvey/survey.asp

Inflation Affects Small Business Size Standards

In addition, this rule changes the process for determining the size of small business concerns applying for SBA Business Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from a test considering only the primary industry of the applicant, to a two-part test considering both the primary industry of the applicant and the primary industry of the applicant with affiliates.  This rule also changes the date on which SBA determines size status for purpose of EIDL applications for businesses located in disaster areas declared as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.

You may read and/or download the interim final rule published in the December 5, 2005 Federal Register.    TXT    PDF

The U.S. Small Business Administration has partnered with the U.S. General Services Administration and other federal agencies to provide a toll-free number, 1-800-FED-INFO (800-333-4636), to help small businesses learn about hurricane relief efforts, contracting and rebuilding opportunities.

Hurricane Contracting Opportunity Guide

Governor Rick Perry Signs Telecom Reform Bill

On September 7, 2005, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed SB5, otherwise known as the Telecommunications Reform Bill.  Texas will be the first state in the union that encourages competition among cable service providers by allowing new entrants to get a state wide franchise.  In the past providers had to obtain franchised from each municipality.  Click here to read more about it.

Doing business with the Department of Homeland Security

The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the El Paso 8a Government Contractors Association hosted the Business Xpress on Monday, August 15, 2005 at the Holiday Inn Airport Sun Room.  EPHCC members and non-members alike were all eager to know what the requirements were to do business with the Department of Homeland Security.   All the attendees were on time and ready to make their register’s ring! Jose A. Capuano, OSDBU Department of Homeland Security described to the audience through a PowerPoint presentation what their requirements were in order to do business with them and what role they played.   Topics such as the three different major types of business opportunities at DHS; Contracts and Subcontracts, Research and Development, Grants to State and Local Governments were discussed.  Mr. Capuano, gave the audience a few pointers on how best to utilize their website.   Following his presentation, each member of the audience passed around a cordless microphone and introduced themselves and the business they represent.  After the session ended Mr. Capuano was available to meet one-on-one with whoever had questions.  The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce offers networking opportunities to the small business community.  We would like to thank Mr. Joseph A. Capuano for his support and willingness to help out the business community in El Paso.  A special thanks to Pat Villalobos, Chair of the Business Advocacy & Research Division; and Suze Aguirre, U.S. Small Business Administration.
		(l-r) Antonio Garcia, Pat Villalobos, Joseph Capuano, and Suze Aguirre.

President Bush signs CAFTA Agreement

	President's Remarks view

On August 2, 2005 President George W. Bush signed the Dominican Republic - Central American Free Trade Agreement. The trade agreement will strip away barriers to trade, eliminate tariffs, open markets, and promote investment. Currently 80% of import enter the United States from DR-CAFTA countries duty-free. American exports to DR-CAFTA countries face significant tariffs. The countries participating in DR-CAFTA are as follows. The Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the United States.

Advocacy Alert: Small Business Size Standards

When the U.S. Congress first established SBA, the fundamental question was just what numerical definition should SBA use to define small businesses, industry by industry, to determine what businesses were eligible for SBA's programs.  Over the years SBA has established and revised numerical definitions for all for-profit industries, and this numerical definition is called a "size standard."  It is almost always stated either as the number of employees or average annual receipts of a business concern.

Small business size standards are used for federal procurement, Small Business Innovation Research and loan programs, as well as regulatory flexibility analyses and other purposes.

Border Security: Critical Technologies for Security and Trade

The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce invites you to the Border Security Conference hosted by Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-16th Congressional District of Texas) and Dr. Diana Natalicio (President, University of Texas at El Paso), on Monday, August 15 and 16, 2005, at UTEP.  The event will open with a reception on Monday night and followed with a day-long of panel discussions on Tuesday on topics relating to border security and its effects on our community.  El Paso is a unique border town and security plays a large role from health, to emergency response to trade and economics.

Congressman Reyes speaking with EPHCC CEO Cindy Ramos-Davidson at Border Security Reception in 2004.

Along with the Office of Congressman Reyes, the EPHCC has invited Mr. Kevin Boshears, Director of the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. to attend and be the main speaker at a private procurement seminar with a small group of El Paso businesses eager to learn about contract opportunities with the Department of Homeland Security.  Mr. Boshears will provide information on the many types of contracts currently being solicited for bid, including technology infrastructure, construction, services, and goods.