Event brings together local small businesses and disadvantaged business enterprises to meet with prime contractors for opportunities to work on this project.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is inviting certified disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) and small businesses interested in certification to an event next Thursday to meet and connect with the three prequalified teams selected to submit proposals for the transformational Red Line Extension (RLE) and learn about sub-contracting opportunities.
The $3.6 billion proposed RLE project will extend the Red Line from the existing southern terminal at 95th Street to 130th Street. As part of this project, four new, fully accessible rail stations will be added, plus a new and modern, efficient railcar storage yard and maintenance facility that will benefit all users of the entire Red Line. The 5.6-mile heavy rail line extension will provide long-awaited and much needed connection to jobs, education, commerce, and opportunity, while also serving as a catalyst for economic development that benefits the entire City of Chicago.
“CTA has awarded more than $250 million to 96 unique, minority or women owned firms as part of the Red and Purple Modernization Phase 1 project. Forty of these firms had never previously conducted business with CTA,” said Juanpablo Prieto, CTA Director of Diversity Programs. “These great numbers did not happen overnight; it came through months and years of networking, supporting DBEs, and planning with the prime contractors to create opportunities for DBEs to get their foot in the door and compete. CTA is very proud of these accomplishments, and we look forward to doing the same, if not better, on the Red Line Extension project.”
Next week’s event is the latest in a series of measures taken by the CTA to extend contracting opportunities to the communities it serves and ensuring that equity and inclusion are central to this investment in Chicago’s Far South Side:
Thursday, June 8
9 am to 12 pm
CTA Headquarters
567 West Lake St., Chicago 60661
Presentation begins 9:30 am
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/yej6jd4m
Interested businesses and contractors in attendance will be provided with an update on the overall RLE project, information on benefits for small business participation in future contracting opportunities, as well as steps on how to become certified to do business with the CTA. Although the proposed RLE project is still in development, there are plenty of prospects for robust DBE participation throughout the project.
Following the issuance of a Request for Qualifications last fall, in May the CTA selected the most qualified teams that demonstrated the ability to design and build the rail extension. The three pre-qualified teams selected to submit proposals were: 1) FH Paschen, Ragnar Benson, Milhouse and BOWA Joint Venture; 2) Kiewit Infrastructure; and 3) Walsh VINCI Transit Community Partners.
CTA will continue to host numerous outreach events leading up to the start of project work and throughout the project to encourage participation by DBE-certified firms and other small businesses that wish to participate in the project and help meet the DBE goals that will be assessed. CTA will also host various outreach events to connect career-seekers with resources and opportunities in the construction industry.
An additional meeting with the RLE short-listed prime contractors and their design teams focused on professional services opportunities will be held on:
Tuesday, July 18
10 am to 12 pm
Olive Harvey College
10001 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago IL 60628
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/25wtbm4y
Anyone with questions about the event can contact CTA’s Diversity Programs at diversity@transitchicago.com.
Firms and individuals interested in participating in the events can learn more here: www.transitchicago.com/diversity-programs/
For more information on the RLE project, visit transitchicago.com/rle.
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