Local Businesses Get Connected to Greater Opportunities Through Technical Assistance Program

Date Date 2025-07-10

The Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program helps businesses learn how to navigate doing business, building capacity and, ultimately, winning contracts with the Tollway and other agencies.

By providing customized support and resources, the program equips small, diverse and veteran-owned firms with the knowledge and tools they need to compete and grow in the highway and vertical construction industries.

The Illinois Tollway is strengthening its commitment to an inclusive transportation industry by connecting local construction and professional engineering services firms with resources to grow, compete for work and contribute to the economic vitality of their communities.

Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance outreach events in Waukegan and Rockford, hosted by program administrator Inner-City Underwriting Agency, highlight how the Tollway is supporting diverse, small and veteran-owned firms working in the heavy-highway construction industry.

The Tollway program provides comprehensive, no-cost business development support for emerging and established transportation-related construction and professional engineering services firms.

“Programs like this help level the playing field and put local businesses in a position to succeed,” said Rockford Mayor McNamara. ““I’m proud to see this level of intentional investment in inclusive economic development right here in Rockford.”

“The Tollway’s Technical Assistance Program is making a real difference in Waukegan by opening doors for small, minority and women-owned businesses to grow and compete,” said Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham. “These kinds of partnerships are essential for business owners to gain the tools and opportunities they need to thrive.”

Through one-on-one coaching, estimating and bidding workshops, back-office support and industry-specific training, the Technical Assistance Program equips firms with the tools to successfully participate on Illinois Tollway construction and professional engineering services contracts.

During a recent open house event in Waukegan, attendees had the opportunity to hear directly from local businesses and program experts including Stacy Bullard, president of Waukegan-based Integrity Developers Inc., a family-owned and operated construction management, general contracting and design-build firm. Bullard credits the program with helping his certified D/MBE business build capacity and win work and encouraged attendees to use these free resources to help grow their businesses.

Attendees at an event in Rockford met Quentin Wainwright Sr. of Kee Solutions Inc. and heard how the Technical Assistance Program helped his Rockford-based construction firm build capacity needed to compete. Wainwright said that the estimating classes in particular helped his certified D/MBE firm look at projects in a new way that helped Kee Solutions win more bids.

Both outreach events are part of Tollway’s efforts to support a growing pool of firms ready to complete for contracts and participate in its $15 billion Move Illinois capital program and $2 billion Bridging the Future plan.

Interested firms can learn more at the Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program at www.illinoistollway.com/technical-assistance-program.