MESSAGE FROM THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
Welcome to the Spring 2023 issue of the Los Angeles Contractor Connection newsletter !
Our efforts to increase diversity , equity , and inclusion ( DEI ) in public contracting continue . This issue covers the continuing DEI efforts of the Los Angeles Regional Contractor Development and Bonding Program ( CDABP ) for the period from July 1 , 2022 , through February 28 , 2023 .
During this period , the CDABP held four outreach workshops with elected officials , including LA County Supervisors and Metro Board Members Holly J . Mitchell , Sheila Kuehl , and Kathryn Barger , as well as LA City Councilwoman Nithya Raman . We also held an outreach event with Los Angeles World Airports ( LAWA ) entitled , “ LAX Contracting Forecast 2023 .” These are summarized herein , with links provided for online viewing .
In administering the regional CDABP for the City of Los Angeles , Los Angeles Metro , and the County of Los Angeles , Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services ( MWIS ) continues to be supported by these sponsors to help contractors access agency construction contracts . To put human faces to the achievements of and challenges overcome by our enrolled contractors , we ’ ve included success stories about Adam and Bethany White of Fixed Dimensions , Inc . and Ladan Naraghi of the Redesign Group , Inc .
To support the creation of more success stories , we continue to train and assist more contractors . During the period covered by this issue , we held four CDABP trainings ; these included a session on getting certified with LA Metro as a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise ( DVBE ), one on how to get contract ready with the County of Los Angeles , a contract award and management training academy , and a joint ventures workshop .
Media outlets have been informing the broader community about the regional CDABP ’ s educational offerings , technical assistance and other benefits . Just during the time covered by this issue , twenty news items were published on diverse media platforms . We ’ ve included a summary of the coverage along with links to a few of the news stories .
In December of 2022 , we heard many inspiring stories from MWIS clients , contractors , stakeholders and partners at MWIS ’ 25th anniversary event in downtown Los Angeles . Attendees helped us celebrate 25 years of “ the power of like minds ,” which is the tagline that
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