UIC Helps Minority Firms Bid on Projects: help businesses owned by persons with disabilities, women, minorities on June 15, 2011 Chicago. IL.

UIC Helps Minority Firms Bid on Projects :
UIC News Release : Published on June 9, 2011
University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Public Affairs (MC 288)
601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607-7113
(312) 996-3456, www.news.uic.edu, twitter.com/uicnews

The University of Illinois at Chicago is highlighting the Minority and Female Business Enterprise Program, a state initiative designed to help businesses owned by women, minorities and persons with disabilities, with a day of networking, learning and building relationships with buying professionals and other business owners.

The University of Illinois MAFBE Conference will take place June 15 at the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road. This year’s theme, “Making the Connection 2011,” is focused on connecting the university’s buying departments with qualified businesses. Keynote speaker is Gery Chico, senior partner at Chico & Nunes, P.C., and a UIC alumnus. He was named by Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday to lead the Illinois State Board of Education.

The conference Networking Fair will feature exhibitors from the University of Illinois’s three campuses, other public and private universities, and local offices of government from the municipal, county, state and federal levels.

Expected attendance is 500.

Workshops include:

• Accessing Financial Resources
This session will provide detailed information on the resources that help minority and female businesses identify and connect with capital. Participants will get information to help prepare required documents for financial assistance.

• Understanding University of Illinois Purchasing
This session will explain the University of Illinois purchasing process. Topics to be covered include: Illinois Higher Education Procurement Bulletin, Regulatory Requirements, RFP and Sealed Bid Process, Evaluation Process, Performance, and Impact of Senate Bill 51 on purchasing. The workshop will be facilitated by the purchasing offices of the three campuses of the U of I.

• University of Illinois Office of Capital Programs and Facilities Management
This session will discuss the different roles of Facilities Management and Capital Programs, including their organizational structure, areas of shared responsibility, how and where vendors are utilized, and vendor qualifications for each program. An update on revised policies for Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) in Capital Programs at the university, including vendor registration, MAFBE QBS criteria in selections, MAFBE certification requirements, and an overview of recent state laws affecting MAFBE participation and goals in construction.

• Proposed University of Illinois Supplier Diversity Initiatives
The University has hired the Bronner Group to recommend how to increase minority firm participation in purchasing, including capital projects. In this highly interactive session, Bronner staff will share potential strategies and university organizational structures and staffing levels and ask for input as to which ones may be most effective. Vendors will have the opportunity to discuss barriers to participation and what must be done to eliminate them.

Registration is free at mafbe.conference.uic.edu. Breakfast, lunch and parking will be provided for pre-registered attendees.

For more information contact Demetrious Woods at obfsmafbe1@uillinois.edu or call (312) 413-8640.

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