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Diversity and Strategic Development
The Illinois Tollway Department of Diversity and Strategic Development is a driving force for increasing economic opportunities in the diverse communities we serve.
INCLUSION IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING WE DO
As an economic engine for the region, the Tollway provides small, diverse and veteran businesses and individuals with opportunities to grow and succeed through our training programs, strategic partnerships and investments in infrastructure.
CONTRACTING WITH GOVERNMENT
If your firm sells goods and/or services, Contracting with Government is a MUST-ATTEND event.
The Illinois Tollway is committed to mentoring small diverse and veteran-owned firms to grow their business through government contracts.
Connect your firm with critical resources and opportunities to grow your goods and services businesses. LEARN MORE.
Diversity Programs
Need Business Assistance?
Technical Assistance Program
The Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program is designed to prepare emerging and established transportation-related construction and professional engineering services firms, including small, diverse and veteran-owned businesses to participate on highway and vertical construction contracts.
Partnering for Growth
The Illinois Tollway’s Partnering for Growth (P4G) Program encourages prime consultants and contractors to assist disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms and veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) in remaining self-sufficient, competitive and profitable businesses. Under the P4G for Professional Services, the protégé works on a specific Tollway contract with the mentor.
Small Business Initiative
The Illinois Tollway Small Business Initiative is a race- and gender- neutral program intended to increase opportunities for small construction companies to participate on Tollway construction contracts. The Tollway also unbundles larger contracts into several smaller jobs defining small contract opportunities in amounts generally under $5 million.
Looking For A Career?
ConstructionWorks
The Tollway has partnered with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership to launch ConstructionWorks, an innovative program to create a qualified pipeline of diverse men and women ready to enter careers in the heavy highway and related construction industry.
Bid Credit Program
The Illinois Tollway's Bid Credit Program provides opportunities for historically underrepresented segments of the heavy highway construction workforce.
Want A Competitive Edge?
BID CREDIT INCENTIVES
Illinois Tollway offers contractors and subcontractors the opportunity to earn bid credits by participating in select construction assistance programs. Bid credits may be used toward future Tollway construction bids to lower their bid amount and increase the chances of winning the contract as the low bidder.
MARKETING EDGE FOR SUBCONTRACTORS
Prime contractors have an additional incentive for teaming with subcontractors that participate in incentive programs: subcontractor-earned bid credits can be added to a prime contractor's bid in order to increase the chances of the team winning a contract as the low bidder as long as the prime also submits bid credits with the bid.