Kev Koom Nrog Cov Neeg Muab Khoom - FAQs and More

What is the definition of Inclusive Supplier?

CenterPoint Energy defines inclusive suppliers per the guidelines of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

​National Minority Supplier Development Council:  A minority-owned business is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is 51% owned, operated and controlled by minority group members, defined from the following:  

  • Asian-Indian  - A U.S. citizen whose origins are from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.
  • Asian-Pacific -A U.S. citizen whose origins are from Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas. 
  • African American - A U.S. citizen having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
  • Hispanic - A U.S. citizen of Hispanic heritage, from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America or the Caribbean Basin only.
  • Native American - A person who is an American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut or Native Hawaiian, and regarded as such by the community of which the person claims to be a part.

Women’s Business Enterprise National Council:   A Woman-Owned Business Enterprise is an independent business concern that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women who are U.S. citizens or Legal Resident Aliens; whose business formation and principal place of business are in the US or its territories; and whose management and daily operation is controlled by one or more of the women owners.

  • U.S. Small Business Administration:  As defined by the Small Business Act, a small business concern is “one that is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation.” 
  • Small Business -- Depending on the industry, ‘small’ is defined by either the number of employees or average annual receipts of a business concern.  Website reference for size standards by NAICS code can be found here.
  • Small Disadvantaged Business - A small business that is at least 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by one or more individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged.
  • Woman-Owned Business - A small business that is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.
  • Veteran-Owned Business - A small business that is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by one or more veterans.
  • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business - A small business that is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by one or more veterans with a service-connected disability.
  • ​​HUBZone Business - A small business operating in a "Historically Underutilized Business Zone." HUB zones are defined here.

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