In many cities across America, the local airport is often one of the largest employers, both directly and indirectly. In South Florida, Miami International Airport, for example, is responsible for creating 20 percent of all local jobs. The airport creates a $30.9 billion economic impact across South Florida, and has become the number one U.S. airport for international freight. It ranks third for international passengers. And with capacity at airports predicted to grow dramatically in the next few years, many are planning major infrastructure projects to handle more passengers and provide a better experience.
Miami-Dade Aviation Department, like many transportation agencies that manage publicly-funded projects, aims to make sure a large percentage of those projects go to local businesses. Some agencies require as much as 35 percent or higher participation rate for small businesses, including disadvantaged, minority and women-owned businesses. To these transportation agencies, the requirements ensure participation by the businesses that are integral to a flourishing regional economy and a diverse project workforce that accurately reflects the local community.
For major infrastructure engineering firms, it is a chance to look beyond simply adhering to those mandates and recognizing this diverse talent should be considered a competitive advantage, rather than a requirement, since maximizing opportunities for small businesses makes a broader impact for their clients.
By mentoring, providing training and sharing best practices, larger firms give small businesses the opportunity to broaden their skills and networks along with building their expertise, portfolios and resources while serving pivotal roles as part of a project delivery team.
Transportation agencies and the communities they support ultimately benefit from greater competition and higher-quality work through additional ideas, approaches and viewpoints that small businesses can contribute to major infrastructure projects and programs.
That said, many small businesses simply don’t have the ability or resources to bid on transportations projects. The reasons are many: difficulties understanding certification and procurement processes, lack of experience with large-scale projects, and challenges securing bonding and insurance coverage, among others.
To help address these needs, infrastructure solutions firm HNTB established its Partners Program in 2009. It’s a structured 12-month program with several goals: helping small businesses understand the process to become certified and prequalify for publicly-funded projects, understand and navigate the procurement process, recruit and acquire talent to build expertise, expand relationship networks, identify revenue opportunities, and gain access to potential funding resources.
What’s most rewarding for HNTB and our clients is the success for the small businesses that’s resulted from the Partners Program. Our South Florida office has partnered with more than two dozen small and local DBE firms. The end result? A larger selection of high-quality, highly-trained sub consultants, and improved trust and partnership that is so important to clients and their stakeholders.
Empowering the local business community allows everyone to achieve a greater level of success.
Gus Pego serves as HNTB Corporation’s South Florida office leader and vice president, overseeing operations for the firm’s Miami and Fort Lauderdale offices. He provides leadership in planning, directing and implementing client relations, and oversee successful delivery of major projects in South Florida.
With more than 37 years of experience serving the Florida Department of Transportation as Secretary, District Six, Pego was responsible for leading and managing planning, development and implementation of a $3.5 billion, five-year transportation program. His experience spans all phases of transportation, including planning, design, construction, maintenance, operations, intelligent transportation systems and administration. He can be reached at [email protected].
