Small Business Initiative

Program Goal

The Illinois Tollway Small Business Initiative is intended to increase opportunities for small construction companies to participate on Tollway construction contracts.

Program Overview

The Small Business Initiative puts small businesses in a position to succeed and grow by:

  • Identifying select construction contracts, generally with values of approximately $5 million or less, specifically for small businesses to perform as prime contractors
  • Establishing diversity goals for select construction contracts on a project-by-project basis

Who Can Participate?

Firms must be registered with the State of Illinois  as a small business and meet the following criteria:

 

Vendor Directory in B2GNow

 

 

How to Get Involved

Firms participating in the Illinois Tollway Small Business Initiative must meet the qualification criteria and register within the Illinois Procurement Gateway as a small business. More information on the state’s Small Business Set-Aside Program may be found on the Illinois Procurement Gateway at ipg.vendorreg.com.

Firms already registered as a small business with the Illinois Procurement Gateway can register using the Diversity Program System Registration for Small Business Initiative. The Diversity Program System allows vendors the ability to easily register with the Tollway’s Small Business Initiative, complete online applications for registration, update contact information and look up registered firms.

All Small Business Initiative documentation must be completed through this electronic system. 

Small Business Contract Tiers

Contracts within the Small Business Initiative are advertised on the Tollway’s Construction Contract Bid Letting Schedule in three categories as listed below.

Small Business Tier 1

  • Construction contracts with an engineers’ estimated dollar value of $1,000,000 or less
  • Prequalification from IDOT and CDB is not required
  • Contracts will not be reviewed for diversity goals*
  • Contracts may include the Rolling Owner Controlled Insurance Program (ROCIP)
  • Requires a self-performance goal of up to 40 percent, determined on a project-by-project basis.
  • Prime contractors will be required to use only firms registered in the Small Business Initiative 

Small Business Tier 2

  • Construction contracts with an engineer's estimated dollar value between $1,000,001 and $3,000,000
  • Prequalification from IDOT and CDB is not required unless otherwise stipulated by the Tollway in the bid documents
  • Contracts are reviewed for diversity goals 
  • Contracts may include the Rolling Owner Controlled Insurance Program (ROCIP)
  • Requires a self-performance goal of up to 40 percent, determined on a project-by-project basis
  • Prime contractors will be required to use only firms registered in the Small Business Initiative

Small Business Tier 3

  • Construction contracts with an engineer's estimated dollar range between $3,000,001 and $5,000,000
  • Prequalification from IDOT and CDB is not required unless otherwise stipulated by the Tollway in the bid documents
  • Contracts are reviewed for diversity goals 
  • Contracts may include Rolling Owner Controlled Insurance Program (ROCIP)
  • Requires a self-performance goal of up to 40 percent, determined on a project-by-project basis.
  • Prime contractors will be required to use only firms registered in the Small Business Initiative

*This is based on the state’s Small Business Set-Aside Program contract categories

Firms interested in creating a small business joint venture to participate on Small Business Initiative contracts must complete the pre-assessment form located here. Once the pre-assessment form has been received and reviewed, a username and password will be sent in order for the firm to complete the registration application in the Diversity Program System.  

For more information on small business joint venture, click here to read the Special Provision for Small Business Initiative

To read the Rolling Owner Controlled Insurance Program frequently asked questions, click here.