Scores of Black and minority business owners gathered in Greensboro this week to urge North Carolina officials to establish new procurement pathways following the dissolution of the state’s Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses. The meeting highlighted growing concerns that the elimination of the decades-old agency could severely undermine minority-owned enterprises across the state.
The town hall forum, held at the historic International Civil Rights Center and Museum, brought together local entrepreneurs, advocates, and lawmakers. The event was convened by The Collective, a coalition of advocacy and commercial groups that includes the Greensboro Business League, the Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce, and the NC Black Alliance.
Participants delivered a unified message to state leadership, emphasizing that minority entrepreneurs require structured, transparent avenues to secure public sector work. Without dedicated institutional backing, attendees warned that small and historically marginalized firms risk being shut out of lucrative state-funded projects.
Central to the coalition’s platform is a formal request that all enterprises previously registered under the defunct Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) system be directly transferred into North Carolina’s Small Business Enterprise program. Leaders argue this automatic transition would prevent administrative disruption and maintain procurement access for thousands of local vendors.
In addition to shifting certifications into the Small Business Enterprise framework, the coalition formally called on the administration of Gov. Josh Stein to establish a new Advisory Council on Black Affairs to address ongoing economic and community disparities across North Carolina.
The calls for reform arrive less than two months after state legislators dismantled the HUB office within the provisions of North Carolina's 2026 state budget. The elimination formed part of a broader legislative push in which House Republicans successfully overrode several vetoes by Gov. Stein to curtail state expenditures dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Established in 1999 by an executive order issued under then-Gov. Jim Hunt, the HUB office functioned for more than a quarter of a century as a foundational support system. Its primary mission was to help minority-owned small businesses compete on an equitable footing for municipal, county, and state government contracts.
Under the former program, certified vendors were granted access to specialized operational training, received direct notices about upcoming state bidding opportunities, and were cataloged in a public, searchable directory utilized by prime contractors seeking qualified subcontractors.
With the ratification of the 2026 budget, the state ended its official recognition and renewal of HUB certifications for state government contracting. Although the North Carolina Department of Administration clarified that these businesses retain the legal right to submit bids on government projects, the loss of formal credentialing has caused significant concern throughout the business community.
For many owners, the credential served as an indispensable mechanism for establishing credibility and building strategic partnerships with larger general contractors. Without the database and state recognition, business leaders note that smaller firms face immense hurdles competing against well-established corporate entities.
The tangible economic fallout was voiced by Gerald Carr, the chief executive officer of Charlotte-based All-Pro Builders and Restorations. Carr, who regularly relied on the HUB agency for technical assistance and industry networking, revealed that his construction enterprise lost a contract exceeding $400,000 just three days after the office ceased operations.
Addressing the forum, Carr characterized the public contracting ecosystem as an intricate arena where smaller players cannot succeed without a clear understanding of shifting regulatory frameworks. He emphasized that the sudden dismantling of familiar support networks left many business owners struggling to adapt.
The town hall also featured panel remarks from several prominent figures, including state Rep. Amos Quick III and state Sen. Gladys Robinson, both Democrats representing Guilford County, alongside business leaders such as Carr and Michelle Clark Jenkins. The lawmakers listened to constituent grievances and discussed legislative and administrative options to prevent further economic exclusion.
In response to mounting concerns from the business sector, the state Department of Administration announced the rollout of a specialized accelerator initiative. The program is designed to assist the more than 6,000 enterprises that were enrolled in the HUB system at the time of its termination, offering an expedited pathway to secure alternative small-business certifications.
Despite the administration's proposed transitional measures, commercial advocates maintain that proactive structural policy changes remain essential. Minority business leaders stressed that ensuring equitable access to public contracting is critical not only to preserving individual livelihoods but also to fostering long-term economic stability across North Carolina.
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