SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — The state transportation agency is holding an outreach event to encourage small, woman-owned or minority-owned businesses to contract for future business.
North Carolina Department of Transportation will host events for all 14 divisions throughout the month. To learn more information for Division 3, which includes New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Duplin, Onslow, and Sampson counties, business owners are encouraged to attend a meeting Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Division 3 office, 5504 Barbados Blvd. in Castle Hayne.
NCDOT chief engineer Chris Peoples said in a press release more small businesses are needed to help with all the work NCDOT has available.
NCDOT’s Division of Highways advertises and awards numerous contracts statewide each year including for construction, maintenance, emergency work, mowing, traffic control, tree service, cleaning service, litter pickup, and dead animal removal.
“Our agency depends on contracts from many of our smaller firms statewide,” NCDOT Secretary Eric Boyette said in a press release. “We want to help support small businesses in North Carolina so they can help us build, maintain and grow our diverse transportation network.”
Highway staff will be on site at the event, organized by NCDOT’s Office of Civil Rights, to help business owners learn more about working with the state. Attendees can also learn how to become certified and prequalified to bid on state contracts.
“We hope that our small, disadvantaged business will take advantage of this important opportunity to learn about how they can compete for state transportation contracts,” Tunya Smith, director of the NCDOT’s Office of Civil Rights, said in the release. “Our goal is to train DBEs how to become qualified and certified so they can compete for state transportation contracts.”
The September workshops are the latest round of outreach meetings aimed at increasing the number of disadvantaged businesses available to contract with NCDOT. Since June 2021, more than 830 people, representing 716 firms participated in these outreach events.
To attend Saturday’s event, attendees must RSVP to Trevor Carroll by calling 910-341-2000 or emailing tkcarroll@ncdot.gov. For a list of events held at the other 13 divisions, go here.
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