Diversity Programs

Vendor registration & Certification applicationRegister to receive emails when opportunities match your selected business expertise, and certify as a DBE or SBE to qualify for opportunities set aside for those categories. Contract opportunitiesSee all current opportunities and register to respond.

About Diversity Programs at the CTA

The mission of Diversity Programs is to create an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion by promoting dialogue with the contracting community and other stakeholders that will improve the CTA’s ability to level the playing field and establish diversity as a critical component of the CTA’s contracting practices.

Diversity Programs will achieve these goals by certifying eligible firms as Disadvantaged and/or Small Business Enterprises (DBE/SBE), assessing attainable DBE & SBE contracting goals, creating opportunities for DBEs & SBEs to network with large contractors, establishing programs for DBEs & SBEs to grow in capacity & capability, connecting interested individuals with job opportunities on CTA contracts, and advocating for policies that reduce barriers for both DBEs/SBEs and job seekers on our contracts.

Schedule a one-on-one consultation with us by emailing diversity@transitchicago.com or a manager directly.

Events

Jul

18

Thursday

Building Small Businesses Program Orientation

~~July 18, 2024~~
~~5:30–7:30 pm~~
Completed

Malcolm X College
1900 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60612

Special Introduction of CTA’s Featured Red Line Extension (RLE) Project Coming to Your Community!

Be a part of the 5.6-mile rail expansion—join the conversation on the Red Line Extension Project, featuring four new stations, and unlock new opportunities for small businesses and DBEs.
Jul

24

Wednesday

Driving Small Business the Distance: Accounting & Taxes

~~July 24, 2024~~
~~4pm~~
Completed

Zoom
Aug

7

Wednesday
Meet the Contractor event

August 7, 2024
10:00 am - 12:00 noon

Sulzer Regional Library (Auditorium)
4455 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60635

Doors open at 9:45 am
Presentation starts at 10:15 am

The Chicago Transit Authority Meet the Contractor event is an opportunity for small businesses to learn about the Brown Line Ravenswood - Western station project with Prime Contractor FH Paschen.

FH Paschen is seeking DBE-Certified contractors that specialize in the following:
- Concrete Foundations
- Structural Steel
- Masonry
- Glass and Glazing
- Roofing
- Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning
- Drywall
- Painters
- Carpenters
- Power and Communication Lines
- Landscaping Services
Register
Aug

21

Wednesday

Driving Small Business the Distance: CTA Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification Process

August 21, 2024
10am

Zoom

Register
Sep

25

Wednesday

Driving Small Business the Distance: Cyber Security

September 25, 2024
10am

Zoom

Register

U.S. Department of Transportation Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

The United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) is advancing its commitment to equity and access to contracting opportunities for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE). In doing so, U.S. DOT has recently announced the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would strengthen these programs’ regulations. This recent rulemaking allows DBEs and ACDBEs to have the ability to find resources to new program features, in addition to updating standards when certifiers are assessing eligibility. Read the press release

Mentor-Protégé Program

Through hands-on and classroom training experience, the Mentor-Protégé Program strives to develop working relationships between DBE firms and prime contracting firms that have successfully participated in and/or completed CTA contracts.

Program description and application (PDF)