About The Project
The Greater Waukegan Community Contracting Initiative will work to ensure that more contracts from large local institutions in Waukegan, North Chicago, Zion, and portions of Park City and the Village at Beach Park go to local small businesses—especially those owned by women, minorities, and people with disabilities.
The Greater Waukegan Community Contracting Initiative will work to ensure that more contracts from large local institutions in Waukegan, North Chicago, Zion, and portions of Park City and the Village at Beach Park go to local small businesses—especially those owned by women, minorities, and people with disabilities.
1 Providing additional training and support to local, small, disadvantaged businesses who want to bid contracts at large public and private institutions (often known as “anchor.”institutions).
2. Supporting anchor institutions who want to shift their procurement practices to make it easier for
local, small, disadvantaged businesses to bid.
3. Connecting local disadvantaged small businesses and anchor institutions.
The ultimate goal is to ensure that more dollars from local public projects and large corporations and institutions stay in Greater Waukegan and benefit its residents. Within the next few years, the Greater Waukegan region will see over $1 billion in public and private
initiatives (including public infrastructure improvements, transportation projects, and the construction of the American Place casino). This project ensures our community members truly benefit from these investments.
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The Greater Waukegan Procurement Academy will provide training to small construction
businesses at any stage of development, to support them in earning contracts with large, local public and private community institutions (such as schools, cities, or hospitals).The Academy is a partnership between the Greater Waukegan Development Coalition (GWDC), the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC), the Black Chamber of Commerce ( BCCLC), and Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business.
To enroll, please complete the registration form
The Greater Waukegan Community Contracting Initiative launched on July 1, 2022, thanks to generous funding from Restore.Reinvest.Renew (R3) funding stream under the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), as well as funding from the City of Waukegan,
through its Community Development Block Grant Program.
The Greater Waukegan Community Contracting Initiative has three key elements to work with both contractors and the large institutions in our community with contracts.