Tollway puts $4 million toward increasing contractor diversity

The Chicago Daily Herald ^ | March 23, 2017 | Marni Pyke

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Illinois tollway directors agreed Thursday to spend up to $4 million to assist minority-, women- and veteran-owned construction companies that are seeking work with the agency.

The funds will be distributed among seven entities including the Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce, Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce and Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council.

Training ranges from basics such as explaining the technicalities of bidding for a contract and obtaining financing to advanced classes in estimating the cost of a job or managing a business.

The program will be evaluated based on the number of businesses served and successful bids, among other criteria, diversity chief Gustavo Giraldo said. It will be offered at locations primarily in Chicago, the South suburbs and the Rockford area.

A 2015 tollway study concluded that blacks, Hispanics and women are underrepresented compared to whites when it comes to construction contractors and professional firms hired by the agency.

Several construction contractors informed tollway directors the agency wasn't doing enough to hire black-owned businesses.

"We feel slighted and overlooked," said Omar Shareef, president of the African American Contractors Association.

But others like Shelia Morgan, president of Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council, told directors "the work you're doing is unprecedented."

[SteveH]

I am channeling my inner black female lesbian self in preparation for the time when i too am called. it is all a social construct.

[a fool in paradise]

"We feel slighted and overlooked," said Omar Shareef, president of the African American Contractors Association.

[a fool in paradise]

I can’t get work these days because I have the wrong color genitals.

[Ciaphas Cain]

That would make for a hella bumper sticker.

[Organic Panic]

raining ranges from basics such as explaining the technicalities of bidding for a contract and obtaining financing to advanced classes in estimating the cost of a job or managing a business.

So idiots who don't know how to run a business are going to be trained how to get government contracts that they will fail at BECAUSE they don't know how to run a business. I guess racism and sexism is just fine in Illinois.

[alexander_busek]

Training ranges from basics such as explaining the technicalities of bidding for a contract and obtaining financing to advanced classes in estimating the cost of a job or managing a business.

So idiots who don't know how to run a business are going to be trained how to get government contracts that they will fail at BECAUSE they don't know how to run a business.

Of course, before taking the remedial classes on how to bid for a contract, etc., they'll have to be trained how to tie their shoelaces and wipe their butts.

Say, why aren't heart surgeons trained this way? Don't we need more diversity in the field of medicine?

Regards,

[dearolddad]

Why not just award contracts to the “lowest qualified bidder”?

[cgbg]

Where I work we have minority contractors on highly technical contracts. In the real world there is a minority front person “awarded the contract” and then there dozens of white folks (subcontractors) who actually do the work.

What a scam.

P.S. You can be sure the minority contractor (who has no clue how to do the actual work that is the subject of the contract) is highly skilled at kicking back some cash to the politicians.

[FreedomPoster]

It has been that way in Atlanta on just regular construction projects for at least 3 decades.

[shelterguy]

“”””””Why not just award contracts to the “lowest qualified bidder”?”””””

Silly white boy, that is not how it works.

I have been in the biz for four decades. It is very tough being white. In this age of being able to identify as anything you want to be I just put down that I identify as a black lesbian. I expect some landmark legal cases soon because you cannot discriminate against gender confused people.

It really has become a complete joke.

[Vlad The Inhaler]

Shovel Ready Jobs: more long-handled shovels to lean on

[BobL]

What I LOVE about toll roads is that all the money collected by the roads is put to good use, which is operating and maintaining the toll roads...

What I LOVE about toll roads is that all the money collected by the roads is put to good use, which is operating and maintaining the toll roads...

What I LOVE about toll roads is that all the money collected by the roads is put to good use, which is operating and maintaining the toll roads...

Maybe if I repeat it enough, I’ll actually start to believe it, like I’m supposed to.

[King Moonracer]

Parasites.

[Moltke]

Several construction contractors informed tollway directors the agency wasn't doing enough to hire black-owned businesses.

Or, black-owned businesses aren't doing enough to qualify for contracts. Hmmm, which could it be?

[T-Bone Texan]

"..."We feel slighted and overlooked," said Omar Shareef, president of the African American Contractors Association. ..."

From Wikipedia:

"Omar Sharif, whose adopted surname means "noble" or "nobleman" in Arabic, was born on 10 April 1932 as Michel Dimitri Chalhoub in Alexandria, Egypt, to a Melkite Catholic family."

So, at least he wasn't a filthy muslime.

[a fool in paradise]

In Houston the white contractors put the businesses in their wife’s (possibly minority) name.

[a fool in paradise]

The new fad is to sell those toll roads to Spain or elsewhere and take the quick cash while leaving the locals broke for a generation.

[Squat]

Didn't some of them try that with Obama? It's not called “minority” for no reason. Jackie Robinson would NOT accept special privilege, nor should taxpayers.