The Port of Houston Authority held a small business industry forum workshop Oct. 18, highlighting the port’s maintenance contracts and vendor opportunities. PHA Senior Director of Maintenance Paulo Soares gave a presentation providing an inside look of port maintenance operations to nearly 30 small business representatives.

Soares’ presentation included the different types of procurement methods, the Buyspeed system and project advertising information. These contracts vary between one and three years, depending on the size of the project and equipment involved.

Port Authority maintenance duties require purchasing terminal equipment for central maintenance, the Barbours Cut and Bayport container terminals and performing repairs at Woodhouse, Care Terminal, Turning Basin, Jacintoport and other port-owned areas that are undeveloped. PHA’s maintenance staff makes up about one-third of the entire organization.

“We have many assets here. The port relies on a network of vendors and small businesses that help us build the port together,” Soares said.