AN OVERVIEW OF COUNCIL DISTRICT OUTREACH WEBINARS
“ This webinar is about demystifying the procurement process with public agencies and helping you grow your business .”
Sheila Kuehl , Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Member
MWIS CEO Ingrid Merriwether gave an overview of the CDABP . She said , “ The purpose of the Contractor Development and Bonding Program is to remove the barriers that make it more challenging for small , diverse , minority , women-owned firms to more equitably have access to participate , compete , and successfully be awarded and complete contracts with the sponsors of the program .”
A testimonial was provided by CDABP participant Ernie Moreno , owner and president of Marne Construction . He explained how he had availed himself of available CDABP resources and won a $ 9.7 million contract with Los Angeles World Airports ( LAWA ). “ Without the program , my company wouldn ’ t have come close to getting this size of work ,” he said . “ The program is amazing . It benefited us . I ’ m thankful to have found this program and to have gotten the help that I needed .”
Panelists from the County of LA and Metro described the process and opportunities with their organizations .
Jessica Mireles , Acting Supervisor of the Office of Small Business ( OSB ), which is part of the newly formed LA County Department of Economic Opportunity , presented the four pillars of the OSB and spoke about the importance of County certifications in government procurement . She enthusiastically announced a forthcoming Economic Opportunity Grants Program with grant sizes of $ 2,500 , $ 15,000 , $ 20,000 , and $ 25,000 for micro-businesses , entrepreneurs , small businesses , very small nonprofits , and small nonprofits . She said , “ We ’ re looking to launch that program in mid-to-late October , so stay tuned .”
Amy Le , Business Outreach and Compliance Representative from the County Department of Public Works ( DPW ) described the department ’ s efforts in assisting small and diverse contractors . She mentioned that in fiscal year 2021-2022 , DPW awarded over $ 1.7 billion worth of contracts , which helped create over 21,000 jobs . “ We implement a lot of programs that lift up communities and individuals through contracting ,” she said . “ Now more than ever , the County is committed to ensuring more equity in public contracting through these programs and promoting accessibility .” She described the basics of doing business with DPW and provided a three-step guide to prepare contractors to successfully bid on DPW projects .
SPRING 2023 LA CONTRACTOR CONNECTION - 07