[Editor: This is the text of an August 29, 2016 news release from the Illinois Tollway Authority.]
Illinois Tollway Seeks Proposals for Technical Assistance to Help Small and Diverse Firms Do Business with the Tollway
Programs will train and guide small and diverse businesses in the highway construction industry
DOWNERS GROVE, IL — The Illinois Tollway has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to prospective vendors to assist the agency to provide structured technical assistance programs to help small construction firms, including disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms, as well as veteran-owned firms, prepare to do business with the Tollway.
The Tollway is seeking proposals from organizations, including not-for-profit organizations, that have experience in the transportation-related construction industry to administer technical assistance programs to help small firms of varying levels of experience. The selected organization would provide training and guidance to small businesses primarily in the emerging and developing states of growth and experience and/or provide guidance to small businesses that are in the more established stages of growth and experience and want to move to the next level of working in the state’s transportation-related construction industry as a prime contractors or subcontractor.
The new technical assistance programs would complement existing Tollway technical assistance programs designed to help small businesses pursue opportunities to participate in the Tollway’s 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.
The selected organization(s) will provide comprehensive, customized business development assistance to help small firms build financial understanding and business plan development for increased business stability and growth in the transportation-related construction industry. Services are customized to the assessed strengths, challenges and needs of participating firms. This includes:
- Education, guidance and feedback on general business and construction-specific operations
- Construction bidding, field management services, obtaining bonding and financing, strategic planning and assistance with Illinois Department of Transportation prequalification application
- Relationship-building outreach activities
The initial term of the contract is for two years, with the Tollway having the option to renew the contract for two additional years. The total term of the contract shall not exceed 10 years.
The RFP includes a Business Enterprise Program utilization goal of 25 percent and a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)/Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) utilization goal of 2 percent.
An optional vendor conference will be held on Thursday, September 1, at 10 a.m. at Illinois Tollway headquarters, 2700 Ogden Avenue in Downers Grove. RFP written responses are due to the Illinois Tollway on Thursday, September 22, by 10:30 a.m. For more information and to download the RFP, please visit the Tollway’s website, www.illinoistollway.com, Doing Business section, Goods and Services, Bids page.
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.
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Contact:
Joelle McGinnis
630-241-6800 ext. 2380
jmcginnis@getipass.com