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.

How to Participate

Mentors

  1. Contact the Illinois Tollway
    Email diversity@getipass.com
    Phone: 331-238-1980
  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
    Email diversity@getipass.com
  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. Begin earning bid credits for use on future Tollway bids

 

Partnering for Growth Protégé Pool

 

 

Watch the Video

Emerging Technologies Training

Professional Services

Partnering for Growth for Professional Services

Partnering for Growth for Professional Services is contract based. Participation in this program allows the protégés to work with mentors on agreed-upon scope to help expand the protégé’s technical capabilities and develop skills needed to work with the Tollway. 

Prospective protégés may market their firms to potential mentors in connection with a Tollway Professional Services Bulletin. Mentors must include the Partnering for Growth agreement documentation in their statement of interest for a specific professional services solicitation. You may submit agreement documentation for multiple relationships.

REVERSE PARTNERING FOR GROWTH AGREEMENTS

Reverse Partnering for Growth agreements allow large firms to mentor a D/M/WBE or VOSB firm priming a Tollway professional services contract. In this support role, the larger firm assists the smaller prime in an agreed-upon scope. Agreements are subject to review/approval by the Tollway. The goal is to expand the prime’s technical capabilities so they can successfully deliver the current project and compete for Tollway work in the future.

PARTNERING FOR GROWTH REQUIREMENTS

  • Proteges must be certified and in good standing by at least one of the agencies specified within the Tollway’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program or Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB)
  • Mentors must demonstrate significant level of commitment, performance, and capability to provide meaningful instruction and beneficial resources to its Protégé
  • Assistance provided to the Protégé must be sufficient enough to promote real growth
  • The work performed by the Protégé may be in technical areas that require IDOT prequalification, or in nontechnical areas that do not require prequalification

How to Participate

Mentors

  1. Find a protégé
  2. Develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a protégé based on an opportunity available on a current PSB
  3. Submit the appropriate Partnering for Growth forms with your Statement of Interest

Protégés

  1. Reach out to potential mentors
  2. Develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a mentor based on an opportunity available on a current PSB
  3. Submit the appropriate Partnering for Growth forms to your mentor for inclusion in the Statement of Interest

 

Partnering for Growth Protégé Pool

 

Partnering for Growth Documents

Partnering for Growth for Construction Guidelines and Templates
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