About Austin Small and Minority Business Resources
- Who We Are
Austin Small and Minority Business Resources (Austin SMBR) was established by the Austin City Council in 1987 to administer the City’s Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program. The department leads the City’s efforts to expand economic opportunity and equitable access.
Through certification, compliance oversight, resources, outreach, Austin SMBR works to create a fair and competitive marketplace where small, minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged businesses can participate in City contracting opportunities.
Austin SMBR supports the City of Austin’s commitment to inclusive economic growth by helping ensure that historically underrepresented businesses have meaningful access to procurement opportunities.
- What We Do
Austin SMBR administers programs and services that help small and certified firms participate in City contracting. The department oversees the certification of eligible Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE), and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) seeking to do business with the City of Austin.
Austin SMBR also monitors compliance with the City’s MBE/WBE Procurement Program, working with City departments and contractors to support participation goals and program requirements.
In addition to certification and compliance, Austin SMBR provides outreach, education, and resources to help small businesses better understand the City’s procurement process.
- How We Help
Austin SMBR offers a range of services designed to help businesses prepare for and compete for City contracts, including:
Business Certification for eligible businesses
Workshops and educational programs on contracting and procurement
Access to workshops and networking opportunities
Business coaching and technical assistance
Partnerships with trade associations and industry organizations
These services help businesses build capacity, connect with opportunities, and successfully navigate the City’s contracting environment.
Edward Campos, Director
Austin Small and Minority Business Resources is led by Director Edward Campos, who oversees the City’s implementation of the MBE/WBE Procurement Program and the department’s strategic efforts to expand equitable contracting opportunities.
In this role, Edward oversees the management and operation of a department of thirty-four staff members. He provides direction to an Assistant Director who supervises three Division Managers that oversee the following areas: Certification, Compliance, Resources, and Strategic Services.
Edward has over thirty-four years of experience in the public sector and has worked for the City of Austin for over 25 years. Prior to his current role, Edward served as the Assistant Director of SMBR, prior to that role, he served as the Interim Assistant Director for the Capital Contracting Office and as the Contract Relations Division Manager with the Capital Contracting Office where he oversaw the Contract Procurement Division.
Edward has also worked for the City of San Antonio in their Economic Development Department on various projects such as downtown redevelopment issues and small business programs. He started his professional career with Bexar County where he served as the Administrative Services Coordinator for the Bexar County Commissioners Court. His area of expertise includes: economic development; procurement; contract negotiations; public policy and small business programs.
Edward holds a BBA in Marketing and a Master of Science Degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. Edward is married to Phillip Davenport and between them they have three daughters, one son and ten grandchildren.
Dr. Tamela Saldaña, Assistant Director
Dr. Tamela Saldana is a distinguished leader and public servant, currently serving as the Assistant Director of Austin SMBR In addition to this role, she previously held the acting positions of Civil Rights Officer and Chief Equity Officer. With over twenty-five years of experience in federal, state, and local government, Dr. Saldana’s expertise spans various facets of public administration and community service.
Dr. Saldana earned her Doctorate in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on the African and African American Diaspora with an emphasis in racial and cultural studies. She also holds a Master of Public Administration from Texas State University and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin.
A former track and field athlete for the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Saldana was a member of the Lady Longhorn Track & Field Team that secured several Indoor & Outdoor Southwest Conference Championships and a National Championship. Beyond athletics, Dr. Saldana is deeply involved in her community through membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Links, Incorporated Austin Chapter, where she has also held significant leadership roles. She co-founded the Athletic Achievement and Development Academy, a nonprofit organization aimed at fostering both athletic and academic skills among grade school students.
During her tenure with the City of Austin, Dr. Saldana has led several critical initiatives, including the management of the City's Disparity Study, which helped shape programming and services that assist small, minority and women-owned businesses in the greater Austin area, serving as the Shelter Manager for the City’s first COVID-19 Isolation Facility. Her exceptional leadership and contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Women in Texas Government Award and the City Manager’s Certificate of Excellence Executive Award.
Dr. Saldana’s commitment to service is also evident in her civic activities, having been a Deputy Voter Registrar and engaging in extensive community outreach through voter registration drives and social service programs. Congressman Lloyd Doggett recognized Tamela with a letter of commendation for her efforts to get every member of her Links Chapter deputized, which later earned the chapter the national John R. Lewis Good Trouble Award.
MBE/WBE Advisory Committee
Austin SMBR is supported by the MBE/WBE and Small Business Enterprise Procurement Program Advisory Committee, a City-appointed body that provides guidance and recommendations on the City’s minority and women-owned business procurement programs.
The committee reviews program performance, receives updates from Austin SMBR staff, and offers recommendations to help strengthen program effectiveness, transparency, and accountability.
Advisory committee members represent diverse professional backgrounds and community perspectives and play an important role in ensuring the City’s procurement programs continue to advance equitable economic opportunity.
Governance
Austin SMBR operates under the City of Austin’s Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program Ordinance and Administrative Rules.
These policies guide the City’s efforts to address disparities in public contracting and are informed by the findings and recommendations of the City’s quadrennial disparity study, which evaluates participation and availability of minority-owned and women-owned businesses in the marketplace.