South Central Reporter

Illinois Department of Transportation on Feb. 17 held a day of virtual workshops that sought to diversify business partnerships with the state government.

State Rep. Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) took to Facebook to invite Illinoisans to participate in the 2022 Summit for Success, which gave female- and minority-owned businesses the opportunity to network and foster skills by participating in IDOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program.

“Helping grow and diversify businesses that want to work with IDOT benefits not just the businesses themselves, but the entire state,” state Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said in the release.

“In any industry, competition is essential for getting a good product at a fair price. By providing more businesses with the resources they need to succeed, we are ensuring our projects are as competitive as possible,” Osman said. “I encourage anyone interested in doing business with IDOT to attend these workshops and learn more about the assistance we provide.”

The free summit, which was led by industry leaders and IDOT staff, tackled topics such as corporate tax filing strategies and timely compensation.

“It is IDOT’s goal to provide assistance to DBE firms and individuals interested in doing business with the department in ways that ensure equity, access, and transparency,” IDOT Supportive Services wrote on the summit’s EventBrite page. “IDOT, in accordance with federal guidelines, strives to facilitate and implement programs that can help current and future business partners open the door to doing business with us.”

According to IDOT, the DBE program gives minorities, women, and other eligible small businesses a chance to own at least a 51% interest, as well as also control management and daily business operations.

To participate in the program, a small business whose owner is a socially and economically disadvantaged individual must secure DBE certification through the state Uniform Certification Program.

 IDOT says a person with a personal net worth that doesn’t exceed $1.32 million is considered economically disadvantaged, and a firm that adheres to Small Business Administration size criteria and possesses average annual gross receipts that doesn’t exceed $23.98 million is considered a small business.