Programs
Get the Info You Need
Disadvantage Business
| Business Enterprise Program |
| Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program |
| Partnering for Growth |
| Technical Assistance |
Individual Programs
| Earned Credit Program |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Program |
| Highway Construction Careers Training Program |
Small Business
| Small Business Initiative |
| Small Business Set-Aside |
Veteran-Owned Business
| CMS Veterans Business Program |
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program
Our Diversity and Strategic Development Team
- Establishes specific contract goals for participation of D/M/WBE certified firms on construction contracts and professional service contracts (architectural, engineering, design, construction management and inspection)
- Reviews and approves contractor utilization plans, including certification verification
- Provides information on reporting requirements during pre-construction meetings
- Reviews data submitted by prime contractors regarding payments made to D/M/WBE subcontractors
- Performs periodic site visits for monitoring of contract compliance
- Tracks and compiles data to show actual D/M/WBE participation based on payment dollars rather than commitments
- Attends various outreach events to ensure awareness of the DBE Program
- Conducts periodic outreach/networking events to disseminate information about the Tollway programs
- Assesses viability of mentor/protégé partnerships on professional service contracts
Certifications are accepted from the following agencies
- Illinois Unified Certification Program (ILUCP) – DBE Certifications (includes Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra, Pace and City of Chicago)
- City of Chicago Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification
- Cook County MBE/WBE Certification
- Small Business Administration SBA 8(a) Certification
To review the certification status of any firm, or to access to the DBE Program Certification Application to become certified, click either of the links below:
| Illinois Department of Transportation |
| Certification and Compliance System (C2) |
| Cook County Government |
Business Enterprise Program (BEP)
About the BEP
The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) promotes the economic development of diverse businesses—those owned by minorities, women and persons with disabilities. This program applies only to the procurement of goods and services.
To participate, businesses must meet the following criteria:
- Certified with the CMS BEP program at time of bid
- 51 percent owned and controlled by a minority, woman or disabled person
- Owner must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien
- Annual gross sales must be less than $75 million
Important links
| For more information on the BEP |
| Apply for certification with the Business Enterprise Program |
| Search the BEP Vendors Directory |
| Register to do business with the State |
Other Agency Certifications Recognized
Note that the State of Illinois has a mechanism in place for recognition of certifications issued by the following other agencies:
- Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
- Chicago Minority Business Development Council (CMBDC)
- Women's Business Development Center (WBDC)
- City of Chicago
- Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA)
- Metra
- Pace
- Cook County
Complete the Recognition Certification Affidavit. (pdf)
Complete the BEP Full Certification Affidavit (pdf) if you are not currently certified by one of the entities above.
To continue your annual BEP certification, complete the Business Enterprise Program Annual Certification Renewal. (pdf)
Learn how to access your business opportunities.
Goods and services opportunities
Partnering for Growth
The Partnering for Growth Program encourages professional services consultants (mentors) to assist disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE)* firms and veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs)** to become self-sufficient, competitive and profitable businesses.
The Partnering for Growth Program for DBE and VOSB in remaining firms provides a way for prime consultants to receive credit toward advertised goals for serving as a mentor and providing meaningful instruction, technical assistance and beneficial resources to a DBE and/or VOSB protégé, including:
- Overall guidance and oversight of project work
- Assistance with the development of a comprehensive project management plan
- Assistance with the development of a quality assurance/quality control plan
- Instruction on applicable laws, regulations and rules
Other forms of technical assistance may include:
- Training in business operations such as invoicing, accounts receivable, marketing, business forecasting and budgeting, human resource and information technology development, selection techniques for insurance and banking relationships
- Assistance in preparation of change orders, claim filing, dispute resolution and project scheduling
- Assistance in the preparation of contract documents, proposals and statements of interest
- Assistance in developing and implementing procedures in accounting for daily actual cost of labor, production and overhead
Benefits
Under the Partnering for Growth Program, the protégé will perform an agreed-upon amount of the contract work as though the business was the prime consultant on the job, assuming full responsibility for and supervision of that portion of the work.
Once the Partnering for Growth Program criteria is satisfied per the program guidelines, the mentor earns credit toward the contractual DBE goal equal to the contract value paid to the protégé.
- There is no minimum participation level required for a DBE or VOSB firm to be eligible as a protégé.
- The Tollway offers mentors
- A 3 percent "bonus" credit toward the mentor's contractual diversity goal for selecting a protégé firm not previously mentored on a Tollway or Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) project.
- A one-quarter percent "bonus" credit toward the mentor's contractual VOSB goal for selecting a VOSB protégé firm not previously mentored on a Tollway or IDOT project.
Technical Assistance Programs
Construction Business Development Center (CBDC)
The Construction Business Development Center (CBDC), administered by the Illinois Community College Board, is focused on developing flexible, customized training and technical assistance to provide small, minority- and women-owned firms in the construction industry with the skills and knowledge to help them grow and succeed.
The CBDC provides one-on-one support to help businesses compete for and win opportunities to participate as subcontractors and prime contractors on Tollway construction projects.
How It Works
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Work directly with a Construction Business Specialist who will help create a business profile and action plan |
| 2. | Create an individualized Technical Assistance Plan: |
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Technical Assistance may include: |
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| 3. | Provide customized technical assistance via one or a combination of: |
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For more information online visit: |
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| For more information contact manager Paul Murtagh at 708-709-3692 or online. | |
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Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program
The Tollway has recently entered into partnerships with the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association and the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce to provide in-depth, long-term technical assistance over two or more years to small, diverse and veteran contractors. The goal is to provide technical assistance intervention in all areas of business development required to become effective heavy highway construction contractors.
Examples of this hands-on assistance include:
- Long-term mentorship model
- Facilitating access to capital and guidance in financing and bonding assistance options
- IDOT prequalification submittal assistance for specialty firms
- Accounting system assistance, including certified payroll reports, change orders and project close-out
- Proactive community, government relations and construction industry outreach
- One-on-one counseling
HACIA
The HACIA Scholarship & Education Foundation (HACIASEF) is a non-profit 501c(3) organization whose mission is to provide on-going training and educational services to businesses and their employees in the construction related industry. HACIASEF strives to promote awareness of professional career opportunities and continues to raise the bar in its goal to promote the future leaders in the fields of technology, architecture, engineering, construction & professional services industries. HACIASEF believes all qualified construction business should have equal access to opportunities and education in their industry.
ILBCC
The Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce (ILBCC) was incorporated in 1997 to help small businesses access success through developing strategies to assist them in increasing their competitive ability and capacity. Since our inception we have seen steady growth and have worked with businesses and government agencies alike to help craft solutions in areas that directly help reduce economic disparity for our citizens and communities. For more than fifteen years, we have operated at the highest levels in public and private sectors to help create sustainable opportunities for African Americans, women, and minority owned businesses alike.
Veterans Business Program
State of Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) Veterans Business Program
The Illinois Tollway supports veterans and service-disabled veterans by assisting them when competing for Tollway contracts. To that end, the Tollway is evaluating all agency solicitations for inclusion of veteran-owned small business (VOSB) or service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) goals.
Criteria to participate in the Veterans Business Program include:
- Currently certified with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services as VOSB or SDVOSB
- 51 percent owned and controlled by a qualified veteran living in Illinois
- Compliance with the Veterans Small Business Verification Act
Vendors must be certified with CMS as a VOSB or SDVOSB at time of submittal on a Tollway project.
For more information about the Veterans Business Program and registering as a VOSB or SDVOSB
To locate registered VOSB or SDVOSB
VOSB Partnering for Growth Program Guidelines
| Veterans Business Program Resources | ||
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Veteran-Owned Small Business Program for Professional Services |
*Disadvantaged business enterprise ("DBE") means a business currently certified by the Illinois Unified Certification Program, a business currently certified by the city of Chicago or Cook County as a minority or women-owned business ("M/WBE") or a business currently certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) pursuant to the Small Business Act as an SBA 8(a) business, owned and operated by a socially and economically disadvantaged person.
**Veteran-owned small business or service-disabled, veteran-owned small business means a business currently certified by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services with annual gross sales under $75 million that are 51 percent owned by one or more qualified service-disabled veterans or qualified veterans living in Illinois.
| DBE Mentor/Protégé Templates |
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| DBE Mentor/Protégé Sample Documents |
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Small Business Initiative
The Illinois Tollway's Small Business Initiative is intended to increase opportunities for small companies to participate in the agency's Move Illinois Program.
The initiative puts small businesses in a position to succeed and grow as prime contractors by:
- Identifying select construction contracts, generally with values of approximately $1 million, that can be set aside specifically for small businesses
- Establishing small business goals for select construction contracts on a project-by-project basis
Qualifications
To qualify for participation in the Small Business Initiative, firms must meet the following criteria:
- Gross revenues of $14 million or less annually
- Register in the state's Small Business Set-Aside Program at ipg.vendorreg.com
- Meet specifications that may include prequalification with either the IDOT or Illinois CapitalDevelopment Board, which will be determined on a project-by-project basis
Opportunities for Small Businesses
This initiative builds on the Illinois Tollway's efforts to increase opportunities for businesses of all sizes. The Illinois Tollway already has been working to unbundle larger contracts into several smaller jobs, as well as actively defining small contract opportunities in amounts under $5 million.
View the bid-letting schedule for unbundled contract opportunities.
Small Business Set-Aside Program
The Small Business Set-Aside Program promotes contracting with small Illinois companies. To be eligible, companies must meet the following revenue criteria:
- Retail or service businesses: less than $8 million
- Wholesale: less than $13 million
- Construction: less than $14 million
- Manufacturing companies: 250 employees or less
For more information:
- Call the Small Business Set-Aside Program at 217-782-1270
- Visit the CPO - Illinois Procurement Gateway
This program has specific benefits for providers of goods and services:
- 673 supply/service classifications
- Awards less than $50,000 are set aside for registered small businesses
- Race- and gender-neutral, ensuring that businesses of all types and sizes have the opportunity to participate
- All state procurements are considered for the set aside program
To be eligible, businesses must be registered in the state's Small Business Set-Aside Program and may need to be prequalified by IDOT.
| Search the Small Business Vendors Directory |
| Frequently asked questions about the Small Business Set-Aside Program |
For Individuals
Individual/Workforce Programs
Highway Construction Careers Training Program
In collaboration with the Federal highway Administration, IDOT initiated the Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP) in an effort to provide training and skill-improvement opportunities to assure the increased participation of minority groups, disadvantaged persons and women in all phases of the highway construction industry. HCCTP emphasizes life-long learning and provides opportunities for further education and assistance to improve employability and is administered by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).
Earned Credit Program
The Earned Credit Program (ECP) is a rewards initiative that allows contractors and subcontractors to earn bid credits toward future Tollway construction bids when they hire from a pool of qualified, pre-screened job candidates, including underemployed African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, women, eligible offenders and exonerated individuals, veterans and other Workforce Investment Act eligible individuals.
There are more than 20 construction contractors and subcontractors who hold active Illinois Tollway ECP certificates and hire and employ more than 200 ECP workers – most of whom now have union status.
How the Earned Credit Program Works - For Job Seekers
How To Become a Pre-Screened ECP Job Candidate
ECP Training Partners operate construction pre-apprenticeship training programs and pre-screen job candidates to meet specific physical, drug-free and other requirements. In addition, ECP Training Partners provide job training and readiness skills including resume preparation, interviewing techniques, confirmation of a high school diploma or equivalent and information about specific construction trade requirements.
Contact a Tollway ECP Training Partner
The ECP Training Partner will provide the Tollway with resumes of pre-screened qualified job applicants, Illinois Department of Employment Security eligibility approval and Tollway candidate referral forms. The Tollway then forwards ECP job candidate resumes to contractors and subcontractors who have current job opportunities and have requested ECP candidate referrals. Contractors and subcontractors conduct the interviews and make the hiring decisions.
Earned Credit FAQs
By retaining an ECP participant, contractors/fabricators can accumulate bid credits at the following rates which may apply to future bids on the Illinois Tollway's capital programs:
- Operating engineers and structural steel ironworkers: 50 cents for every dollar earned.
- All other skilled union trades and fabricators: 40 cents for every dollar earned.
- Skilled laborers: 30 cents for every dollar earned.
Equal Employment Opportunity Program
Objectives
On construction contracts, the Illinois Tollway adheres to federal workforce requirements and works in conjunction with local unions and awarded contractors to facilitate achievement of all workforce goals.
Monitoring and reporting is a joint effort among awarded contractors, construction managers and diversity staff to ensure that:
- Workforce data in the form of weekly certified payroll reports submitted by contractors to constructionmanagers is reviewed to confirm achievement of established EEO goals (19.6 percent minority/6.9 percent female).
- Periodic site visits are performed to confirm presence of workforce as reported.
- Referrals of qualified workers are available to contractors seeking assistance in meeting their workforce goals.
Contractors are encouraged to visit the Tollway's Earned Credit Program section for information on how contractors and subcontractors can earn bid credits to make their bids more competitive while augmenting the construction industry workforce with qualified hires.