Partnering For Growth
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
- Contact the Illinois Tollway
- Complete a Partnering for Growth Mentor Application
- Gain access to the pool of protégés ready for partnerships for your evaluation and review
- Develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a protégé
- 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
- Contact the Illinois Tollway
- 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.
- You will be entered into a pool of qualified potential protégés to develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a mentor
- 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.
- Begin earning bid credits for use on future Tollway bids
Capability Statement Submission Request
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
- Find a protégé
- Contact an Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Provider for matchmaking assistance
- Look for upcoming networking events and Professional Services Bulletin (PSB) opportunities
- Review the pool of protégés ready for partnerships
- Develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a protégé based on an opportunity available on a current PSB
- Submit the appropriate Partnering for Growth forms with your Statement of Interest
Protégés
- Reach out to potential mentors
- Contact an Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Provider for matchmaking assistance
- Look for upcoming networking events and Professional Services Bulletin (PSB) opportunities
- Submit your capability statement to diversity@getipass.com to be included in the professional services protégé pool
- Develop a Partnering for Growth relationship with a mentor based on an opportunity available on a current PSB
- Submit the appropriate Partnering for Growth forms to your mentor for inclusion in the Statement of Interest
- Click here to request to be added to the protégé pool
Please complete the Self-Registration Form in order to log in and submit Partnering For Growth Professional Services forms such as the P4G Professional Services Agreement
Partnering for Growth Protégé Pool
Partnering for Growth for Construction Guidelines and Templates |
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P4G Construction DBE Guidelines_01172024 |
Special Provisions for Bid Credit Incentive Programs_112222 |
P4G Construction - Combined Operational Guide_082222 |
P4G Construction Guidelines SBI |
P4G Construction Operational Guidelines SBI |
Partnering for Growth For Professional Services DBE/VOSB Template and Guidelines |
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DBE_VOSB Partnering for Growth Guidelines |
DBE_VOSB Partnering for Growth Exhibit E - TEMPLATE (06-2024) (pdf) |
REVERSE DBE_VOSB Partnering for Growth Exhibit E - TEMPLATE (06-2024) (pdf) |
Partnering for Growth for Professional Services Sample Documents |
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DBE Partnering for Growth Exhibit E - SAMPLE (02-2017) |