CTA Modernization Project Brings Small Business Opportunities

Chicago Transit Authority
Published: August 23, 2019

Members of the CTA’s Diversity and Inclusion Programs staff joined the Walsh-Fluor Design Build Team at the Black Contractors Owners and Executives (BCOE) monthly membership meeting August 15 to talk about upcoming opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) on the CTA’s Red-Purple Modernization Program (RPM).

The RPM program, the largest capital improvement project in CTA history, will improve service reliability on the Red, Purple and Brown Lines, ease chronic overcrowding on rail cars and provide capacity for future ridership growth.

Presenters spoke about certification for the DBE program and opportunities to learn more about the vendor solicitation process, upcoming bidding opportunities, and how Walsh-Fluor will offer workshops on how to build financial capacity starting in September.

“We want to make sure that the DBE community knows and understands the process for participating on the RPM project,” said JuanPablo Prieto, CTA’s DBE liaison officer.

This meeting was one in a series of events across the region sponsored by the CTA and Walsh-Fluor to inform businesses about the opportunities the project will bring to the DBE community. The meeting, held at LiveWire Construction in Calumet Park, was an opportunity for members to welcome the BCOE’s new executive director, Michael Charles-Hilson.

CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr., has made DBE opportunities a priority on the RPM project, “We want Chicago’s homegrown businesses to be able to compete for opportunities on the historic RPM project. We want the economic benefits of this project to be shared across communities.”

The CTA has established a 20% DBE design goal and a 20% construction phase respectively for the $1.2 billion Walsh-Fluor Design-Build contract for the RPM Phase One program. To learn more, go to transitchicago.com/rpm/jobs.

Keywords: black businesses, business, business development, Business Leaders, businesses, CTA, small businesses