An interview with Prairie View A&M University Extension agent Rina Castillo

MERCEDES, Texas - Rina Castillo, a community and economic development agent for Prairie View A&M University Extension, has announced details of a program to help minority owned businesses become certified for state government contracts.Prairie View has a HUB workshop slated to be held in Mercedes on January 25. Soon afterwards, the university will host a Business in Development (BID) Academy, also in Mercedes. Both programs will be held at the Mercedes Economic Development Corporation office on Ohio Avenue in Mercedes.“This is a program associated with the state Comptroller's Office,” Castillo said. “Getting this type of certificate will help small businesses pretty much have an additional point for the scoring if they pursue a state contract.”Castillo pointed out that, by law, state agencies need to have at least three percent of their vendors HUB certified. “We do not have enough minority owned businesses winning state contracts,” Castillo said.Castillo said Prairie View A&M University Extension has been running these programs in the Rio Grande Valley for 11 years.“Most of our participants, they come in understanding what the certificate is all about. But they don't know how to pursue a contract. And so that's why we developed the Bid Academy. So, once they go into our HUB workshop, they get certified and it's free,” Castillo said.“But then, many of them do not know how to pursue a contract. So the BID Academy has nine sessions, and we pretty much talk about all the topics needed to have a stronger foundation for their business so they can pursue a contract.”Castillo said the BID Academy comprises nine sessions, one per week, with each session lasting about three hours.Castillo said anyone interested in starting a business can also attend the HUB workshop in order to learn more about securing state agency contracts.“At the end of the day, the most important thing is figuring out what state agency would they like to work with and what state agency will purchase their product. Once they understand what agency they should pursue contracts with, then everything else falls in place as far as like their insurance and access to capital is concerned.”Castillo’s other work for Prairie View A&M University Extension includes small business development, homeownership, and workforce development. “If there's anything a business needs, it's my job to figure out if there's a resource for them.”As one of its community and economic development agents, Prairie View views Castillo as a valuable resource for individuals and families seeking to elevate their standard of living.“The CED Unit at Prairie View Extension is dedicated to supporting limited-resource communities. It strives to make a positive impact through initiatives such as small business development, youth entrepreneurship, community program involvement, home ownership, government assistance programs, non-profit assistance, and workforce development,” the university states. “In addition to business support, the CED staff is well-prepared to assist small-scale agricultural producers. Offering technical assistance and counseling, the team ensures the profitability and sustainability of agricultural operations. Comprehensive group training programs cover various topics, including business planning, niche markets, product quality, product distribution, global markets, debt management, accounting, business management, and financial forecasting.”Editor's Note: For more information about the CED Unit, call Rina Castillo at 956-383-1026.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.