Partnering for Growth

Program Goal

The Illinois Tollway’s Partnering for Growth Program (P4G) encourages prime consultants and contractors to assist disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms, veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) and Small Business Initiative (SBI) firms in remaining self-sufficient, competitive and profitable businesses.

SUPPORT FOR MENTOR AND PROTÉGÉS

Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program providers are available to assist both construction and professional services mentors and protégés at every step. All protégés must have an assessment completed and, if needed, a comprehensive business development plan preparing them for participation in a Partnering for Growth relationship. Once protégés are evaluated, they are entered in a pool to be reviewed by potential mentors. Technical Assistance providers are also available to assist both mentors and protégés during the P4G relationship as needed.

Assistance is also available via the Tollway’s Building for Success Webinar Series. The series is designed to help businesses learn in detail about the various programs and opportunities the Tollway has to offer. The Building for Success webinar series takes place every Monday at 3 p.m. and all webinars are recorded and available for viewing online at your convenience.

PARTNERING FOR GROWTH BENEFITS

  • Both mentors and protégés benefit from newly formed business relationships
  • Protégés gain experience and valuable assistance to improve business practices and obtain new prequalifications or expand current prequalifications
  • Construction mentors and protégés earn bid credits that may give a competitive edge in pursuing Tollway construction contracts
  • The new Emerging Technologies Partnering for Growth (P4G) Construction Agreement encourages short-term relationships focused on sharing the latest in construction equipment and technology
  • Larger professional services firms may mentor a D/M/WBE, VOSB or SBI firm priming a Tollway contract in a reverse P4G agreement
  • Tollway increases the pool of firms to support Move Illinois and fosters competition in the marketplace
 

Construction

Gain Bid Credits With Partnering For Growth

The Illinois Tollway’s Partnering for Growth Program (P4G) for Construction encourages contractors and subcontractors to assist disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms, veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) and Small Business Initiative (SBI) firms in remaining self-sufficient, competitive and profitable businesses.

Partnering for Growth for Construction offers participating contractors the opportunity to earn up to $100,000 per year in bid credits that may be applied toward future Tollway construction bids to lower the bid amount and increase the chances of winning the contract as the low bidder. In a highly competitive industry, bid credits give contractors a bidding advantage on Tollway construction contracts.

Flexible Relationships

The Partnering for Growth Construction Program is term-based (12 to 60 months), enabling partnering contractors to continue working on areas of development without being contingent upon contract awards, project milestones or completion dates. Partnering for Growth agreements are possible with current subcontractors on existing projects.

Contractors have the flexibility to determine areas of assistance including business planning, project management, financial counseling and bonding, equipment utilization and submitting quotes. Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program providers are available to assist partnering firms at every step.

Emerging Technologies

The Tollway’s new Emerging Technology Partnering for Growth (P4G) Construction Agreement is to encourage short-term relationships between large contractors and small/diverse firms focused on sharing the latest in construction equipment and technology. These agreements are neither tied to a specific Tollway contract nor require firms to work on any construction project within the state of Illinois. Rather, these agreements allow experienced firms to provide training opportunities and empowering small, diverse and veteran firms with the experience needed to pursue prime and subcontracting opportunities in the future.

View the emerging technologies drone presentation here and watch the video here. Listen to the full presentation here.

How to Participate

Mentors

  1. Contact the Illinois Tollway
  2. Complete a Partnering for Growth Mentor Application
  3. Gain access to the pool of protégés ready for partnerships for your evaluation and review
  4. Develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a protégé
  5. Begin earning bid credits for use on future Tollway bids

Interested in becoming a mentor? Check out the presentation and watch the video for more info.

Protégés

  1. Contact the Illinois Tollway
  2. To participate in the Partnering for Growth program, proteges must be evaluated by a Technical Assistance Provider. Tollway will connect you with a Technical Assistance Provider based on your location. The Technical Assistance Provider will complete a pre-assessment to determine eligibility:
    • If eligible, a Partnering for Growth Protégé Application Form must be completed 
    • If not eligible, the Technical Assistance Provider will develop a customized business development plan to prepare you for participation in a Partnering For Growth relationship. 
  3. You will be entered into a pool of qualified potential protégés to develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a mentor
  4. Click here to complete the following form if you wish to be listed in the P4G Construction or P4G Professional Services Protege Capabilities Statement database along with other prospective Proteges.
  5. Begin earning bid credits for use on future Tollway bids

Capability Statement Submission Request

Search Capabilities Statements

 

Partnering for Growth Documents

 
Partnering for Growth for Professional Services Sample Documents
DBE Partnering for Growth Exhibit E - SAMPLE (02-2017)
Showing 1 to 5 of 25 results