Small, Minority-Owned Businesses Learn How to Contract with Transit, Transportation Agencies

The Transportation Symposium and Business Exchange is an event that focuses on providing information on obtaining transit agency contracts

Earlier today I took part in the 19^th Annual Transportation Symposium and Business Exchange, an annual partnership between the RTA, CTA, Metra, Pace, IDOT and the Illinois Tollway. The focus of this event is providing information on obtaining transit agency contracts with a special emphasis on Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Minority Owned Business Enterprises, Women Owned Business Enterprises, Veteran Owned Small Business and Small Business Enterprises.

I helped to kick off the event this morning alongside Dorval Carter, President of the CTA; T.J. Ross, Executive Director of Pace; and Greg Bedalov, Executive Director of the Illinois Tollway.

We host this event annually because we believe that our agencies and our contracting opportunities should reflect the diverse constituencies our region serves and we’re proud to make those opportunities readily available to all who may be interested. Last year, the RTA alone paid for more than $25 million in contract-related items, mostly in the area of professional services. Together, the region’s transit agencies spend billions of dollars every year to keep our region’s system moving.

By bringing together the region’s transit and transportation leaders with industry professionals, we hope to provide opportunities that can make a difference not only to small and minority-owned businesses, but to the economies that benefit from business growth.

Thank you to all attendees and vendors who came out this morning to take part in the Symposium and share your interest in helping to improve our region’s transit and transportation systems.