Metropolitan Council promotes DBE opportunities in Central Corridor contract services

Contact: Bonnie Kollodge
651.602.1357

ST. PAUL—Dec. 12, 2006 – All aboard! The Metropolitan Council has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Project Management Services on the Central Corridor light rail transit project and seeks participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs).

To promote networking between DBEs and contracting firms that may submit proposals the Council will host a “mixer” Dec. 21 in St. Paul.

“We met with several DBE firms in November,” said Wanda Kirkpatrick, Metropolitan Council Director of Diversity. “This mixer will provide further details that allow minority- and women-owned businesses to learn more about the scope of work for this exciting project, and get on board with design and project management teams that may bid on the contract.”

Kirkpatrick said the scope of work includes project management support, environmental evaluation and engineering services to assist the Council in overseeing and managing the planning, design and construction of the CCLRT system. The 11-mile line will extend LRT service from the existing Hiawatha Line in downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul. Sixteen stations are planned for Central Corridor.

The DBE Mixer is set for 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 21 at Metropolitan Council Chambers, 390 Robert Street North, St Paul, MN. Anyone with questions about the mixer is urged to contact Ms. Kirkpatrick at 651.602.1085 (email: Wanda.Kirkpatrick@metc.state.mn.us) or Pat Calder at 612.349.7463 (email: Pat.Calder@metc.state.mn.us ).

A pre-proposal conference for potential bidders will precede the mixer, beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2006. Proposals will be due Jan. 17, 2007. Anyone with questions about the conference may contact Christopher Gran at 612.349.5060 (email: Christopher.Gran@metc.state.mn.us).

The Central Corridor LRT line will connect the two central cities via University Avenue, passing through the U of M and St. Paul’s Midway and Capitol areas. The Metropolitan Council has submitted an application to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requesting permission to begin Preliminary Engineering on the project, which is a two-year phase.

The Council will request federal funding for half of Central Corridor project costs. The federal government’s DBE program helps increase participation by women and minority contractors in state and local procurements.

For more information on the Central Corridor project, visit: http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/ccorridor/centralcorridor.htm

For more information on the DBE program, visit:
http://www.metrocouncil.org/doing_business/dbeinfo.htm

The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Council runs the regional bus and light rail system, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income families. The Council board is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.

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