Big Opportunities Start Small Transcript 
Hello. I'm Bruce Bugg, Chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission and with me is Senator Royce West from the Dallas area. Welcome, Senator. 
Thank you very much for the invitation. 
Thank you. Senator, TxDOT is in the business of connecting Texans with what's important to them. But to do that, we need to improve the playing field for every business that wants to work with TxDOT. 
Chairman, many of those businesses are owned by ethnic minorities in the state of Texas, and they're ready to work but they need more opportunity. State agencies spent over $25 billion last fiscal year, and ethnic minorities received about 1.7 billion of those dollars. Texas has to do more, and you would agree that includes your agency TxDOT. We need to increase ethnic minority participation in the business of Texas. 
You're right, Senator. While Texas numbers have shown progress overall, we can continue to improve the amount we spent with hubs owned by ethnic minorities, women and service-disabled veterans was the most ever. But we can do more. 
I appreciate that Chairman and minority contractors also can be proactive. 
We're ready to answer that need. Check out our big opportunity start small guide. You can find it at TxDOT.gov or scan the QR code. Go directly to it, and Senator thank you for keeping us accountable. 
Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. 
Thank you, sir.