Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Procurement Services (DPS) today held its fifth annual City of Chicago Construction Summit, drawing nearly 700 participants representing contractors, manufacturers and suppliers of all sizes and specialties to learn about the hundreds of opportunities that will be bid this year. This event gave construction and construction-related companies the opportunity to meet one-on-one with 60 government agencies, non-profit assist agencies, labor & employment, and veteran resources regarding upcoming construction projects.

“We are providing an unprecedented amount of resources and information to hundreds of construction contractors and subcontractors to encourage participation and increase competition in the bidding process,” said Mayor Emanuel. “There are opportunities for small, minority- and women-owned companies to bid as primes, partner with other firms, or offer their services as subcontractors to companies that require assistance on larger contracts.”

The Summit was held at the JLM Abundant Life Center on Chicago’s West side. Attendees learned about the numerous programs developed by the City of Chicago to encourage the growth of small, minority, and women-owned firms.

Additionally, this year’s Construction Summit featured several workshops led by subject matter experts in procurement, compliance, labor, and veteran resources to provide hands-on information and networking opportunities.

“Under the leadership of Mayor Emanuel, DPS is committed to providing information, education, and access to resources to Chicago’s business community,” said Chief Procurement Officer Jamie L. Rhee, “We offer numerous programs and incentives to foster inclusivity and diversity, including initiatives encouraging the utilization and empowerment of small, minority, and women-owned businesses, veterans, ex-offenders and CPS graduates.”

A number of initiatives have been put in place to move these goals forward, including the Diversity Credit Program, the M/WBE Mentorship Program, Graduation Phase-out Program, the Small Business Initiative, and most recently the Mid-size Business Initiative, which establishes a level playing field for growing businesses by creating projects that are exclusively bid to similarly sized firms.

While this Summit features construction, DPS will also host the 2017 Vendor Fair on May 24, 2017 at the UIC Forum, which will feature over 100 exhibitors from professional services, technology, work services, and commodities from federal, state, and local government agencies. The event will also include networking sessions and numerous customized workshops for businesses of all sizes and types.

The Construction Summit is the latest in a series of efforts to enhance the City’s procurement processes, and is a result of the Mayor’s commitment to creating a competitive, fair, and transparent procurement services for the City of Chicago.

To view procurement improvements, programs & initiatives implemented under Mayor Emanuel, visit: www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dps/supp_info/process_improvements.html.

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