GREENSBORO — For years, Gerald Carr knew where to turn when his Charlotte construction company needed help navigating North Carolina’s state contracting system. 

Now, Carr said, the rules have changed and businesses like his are scrambling to figure out what comes next. 

Carr, CEO of All-Pro Builders and Restorations, was among the dozens of Black and minority business owners and advocates who gathered in Greensboro Thursday to press state leaders for new contracting opportunities. The move follows the dismantling of the state’s Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses.

The town hall, held at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, was organized by The Collective, a coalition of minority business organizations including the Greensboro Business League, the Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce and the NC Black Alliance. 

The message from the business owners and advocates in the room was straightforward: The state needs to make sure minority-owned and other small businesses don’t lose access to state contracts. 

The group is calling for all businesses previously certified through the HUB program to be transferred into the state’s Small Business Enterprise program, which is intended to provide contracting opportunities to small businesses across North Carolina. The group also called on Gov. Josh Stein’s administration to create a new Advisory Council on Black Affairs.

The asks come less than two months after lawmakers eliminated the HUB office as part of the state’s 2026 budget. As part of a greater state effort, House Republicans also overrode multiple vetoes from Stein, passing bills to cut government spending on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

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The office was created in 1999 following an executive order from then-Gov. Jim Hunt. The HUB office helped minority small businesses compete for state and local government contracts. 

Businesses certified through the HUB received dedicated training, were directly notified of new bidding opportunities and were part of a public searchable database. 

The budget change ended the state’s recognition of HUB certifications for state government contracts. The state Department of Administration said businesses can continue pursuing state contracts, but HUB certifications won’t be renewed. 

The distinction offers little comfort to some business owners who say the certification was an important part of how they found work and built relationships with larger contractors. Carr said he worked closely with the HUB office when he needed support competing for contracts and connecting with other construction companies. 

He said his company lost a contract worth more than $400,000, just three days after the HUB office was shut down. 

“This whole thing is a game. If you don’t understand the rules of the game, you can’t play,” he said. “Not only is it happening, but it’s also happening at full speed.” 

Carr’s experience was part of a larger discussion at Thursday’s gathering about how the loss of the HUB office could affect more than just individual businesses. Other speakers described the closure as a disruption to businesses that had spent years building relationships and pursuing contracts through the state system. 

Rep. Amos Quick III, D-Guilford, said the state needs to do more to communicate the economic effects of programs designed to support minority-owned businesses. 

“We must begin to amplify the impact and the positive impact that these types of initiatives and policies have,” he said. 

The criticism comes as the state tries to build a replacement system. 

At the event, state officials announced a new accelerator program scheduled to open Oct. 15. The program is expected to help businesses affected by the HUB office’s closure navigate the transition and fast-track small-business certifications. The state Department of Administration will oversee the program. 

Gabriel Esparza, the department’s secretary, said more than 6,000 businesses were enrolled in the HUB program when it closed. That left many business owners trying to understand what the changes meant for their existing certifications and future contracts. 

“We want to make this the best thing it can be, not only for small businesses but also to honor the spirit and legacy of all of the work that so many of you did and continue to do to lift Black businesses, minority businesses, and women-owned businesses across the state,” he said.