DBE CONTRACTING UPDATE

News for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms and stakeholders

January 2008

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Many drivers consider US 41 to be "Main Street" in northeast Wisconsin. It links manufacturers from Green Bay, Appleton and Oshkosh to national distribution routes. It delivers tourists from Milwaukee, Chicago and other areas to cabins, lakes and casinos. In all, the highway handles more than 80,000 vehicles a day in some parts, a figure that is expected to increase to nearly 130,000 vehicles a day by the year 2035.

To ensure that the freeway can safely and effectively handle the economic growth in the region, WisDOT is launching an expansion project on US 41 in Brown and Winnebago counties. Beginning in 2010 and continuing through 2015, the department will add lanes, upgrade interchanges, improve access, raise bridges, install roundabouts at approaches and add noise walls. WisDOT will also be working on other improvements to allow a full federal designation as an Interstate highway from Milwaukee to Green Bay.

WisDOT wants to help businesses and workers in the region to have the opportunity to earn a share of the hundreds of millions of dollars that will be invested in these projects. If US 41 is truly "Main Street" for the region, all parts of the community should have a stake in planning, developing and building the project.

Milwaukee's Marquette Interchange sets the standard
The department is building on the success of community involvement with the Marquette Interchange Project in Milwaukee and seeking to repeat the experience on US 41 in northeast Wisconsin. There are three focal points for community involvement on the $810 million Milwaukee project:

• WisDOT involved the community in the planning for the project, leading to a number of design and aesthetic treatments that reflect the flavor and history of the neighborhoods.
• Local minority and women-owned firms have earned major contracting shares on the project. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms have earned nearly 20% of all contract dollars and most of these firms are based in southeast Wisconsin.
• Area workers are heavily involved in the labor on the project. More than 1,000 minority workers have filled nearly 22% of the construction work hours on the project, nearly triple the federal goal of 8% for minority work hours.

Committees will guide US 41 efforts
WisDOT created local advisory committees to help guide the business and labor involvement on the Marquette Interchange. The department is putting similar efforts in place to support the US 41 project:

• The US 41 project will include an overall steering committee to guide the minority business and labor development efforts. Kevin Chesnik, Administrator of the Division of Transportation System Development, will chair this group. Chesnik has held previous positions in WisDOT's southeast and southwest regional offices and also worked for a private engineering consulting firm.
• A business development sub-committee will examine ways to ensure that local minority- and women-owned firms have opportunities and the capacity to earn contracting dollars. Gwen Carr, who has served as WisDOT's Tribal Liaison since 2005 and has a long career working with tribal interests in the public sector, will head this sub-committee.
• A labor development sub-committee will work with the community on training, recruitment and other initiatives to ensure that local workers can take advantage of job opportunities on the US 41 expansion. Kathleen (Kitty) Reed will chair this group. Reed has worked for many years on civil rights issues in WisDOT's southeast region offices.

WisDOT is already tapping into local community groups to fill slots on these committees and become involved in the US 41 project. The department is sponsoring a series of workshops with the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Indian Law Center to help local firms become more familiar with the state highway contracting process and to develop more capacity in their businesses. DBE firms learned more about the US 41 project at a recent statewide conference and had the opportunity to network with prime contractors. Last year, WisDOT held its first Tribal Transportation Conference and continued its consultations between top management and tribal leaders.

Keep involved on the project
Local residents, businesses and workers can stay involved with the US 41 project in many ways:

• WisDOT maintains a Web site with information about the various US 41 expansion project segments. Area residents may also call the northeast region office at (920) 492-5643 for project information.
• Area businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses, can learn more about earning WisDOT contracts. The Web site includes information about DBE eligibility and the certification process.
• WisDOT has not yet developed labor training initiatives for US 41. As the project nears, WisDOT will work with local providers and community representatives to offer training and networking opportunities.

The US 41 expansion projects will be a major economic catalyst in northeast Wisconsin for years to come. WisDOT is working to ensure that all of the area's communities, businesses and workers can play a role in this important initiative.