Southeast Initiative Office
T-REX Project Announces Recipients of Incentive Funding For Training
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Karen Morales
303-357-8673 (office)
303-826-2072 (pager)
T-REX Project Announces
Recipients of Incentive Funding For Training
$495,000 DISTRIBUTED FOR TRAINING
PROGRAMS TO ASSIST COLORADO’S SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
DENVER, October 17, 2003 – Although T-REX Project construction will end
in September 2006, one T-REX program will continue to help build Colorado’s
small businesses for years to come. The
T-REX Project, in partnership with
Southeast Corridor Constructors (SECC), awarded $495,000 today to provide
skill-building programs and services for small and disadvantaged business
enterprises (SBEs/DBEs). These
programs will leave a legacy of strong small businesses able to compete for
future highway and transit construction projects.
“We are very pleased to offer this innovative program to assist members of the
small and disadvantaged business community,” said Joe Wingerter, public
affairs liaison at SECC. “This
funding clearly demonstrates our commitment to assisting small and disadvantaged
companies as they continue to grow and compete for existing and future
construction projects.”
The funding of the education and training programs comes from an incentive built
into the contract between T-REX and Southeast Corridor Constructors to encourage
the use of small and disadvantaged business enterprises in the design and
construction of the T-REX Project.
Nine organizations were awarded
funding to assist the small business community through free/reduced cost
training programs. The Request for
Proposal (RFP) process attracted 21 respondents with aggregate funding requests
exceeding $3.6 million.
In response to a survey of more
than 250 small firms and community business organizations, the RFP required
respondents to submit proposals for programs that provided services in the areas
of project management, marketing, financial management and contract negotiation.
Alternate training or services options also were considered.
The following organizations and programs were selected to receive
funding for 2004:
|
Organization
|
Training
Program
|
|
Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce
|
“Power of Leadership” leadership training
program.
|
|
Denver Business Development Group & Procurement
Consulting Group
|
Government procurement and contracts seminars;
individual business consulting.
|
|
Doss Technical Services
|
Project management and financial management
workshops; corresponding computer software training.
|
|
DRG Construction - DRG & Associates
|
Financial management, construction law, and time
management workshops.
|
|
Folsom Point
|
Statewide marketing workshops and consulting.
|
|
Korat Consulting
|
Marketing seminar series.
|
|
Orbit Design
|
E-marketing tools development and workshops.
|
|
Smyth Consulting, Inc
|
Project management and financial management
workshops; consulting.
|
|
Technology Commercialization Partners, LLC
|
Financial management, contract negotiations, and
project management workshops.
|
A five-member evaluation team made selection recommendations.
Applicants were scored based on the organization’s capabilities,
history/experience, program approach, references, and fees, as detailed in the
RFP response.
The Transportation Expansion (T-REX) Project is a
citizen-endorsed project that includes highway expansion and improvements; the
addition of light rail along I-25 and I-225; reconstruction of interchanges and
bridges; a new drainage system and improved pedestrian and bicycle access.
Funded without any new or increased taxes, the project will increase
mobility, enhance accessibility and provide transportation options.
For more information about T-REX, visit the project Web
site at http://www.trexproject.com.
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