Get On Board brings together public agencies and private railroads to discuss business opportunities with special emphasis on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation
April 20, 2021 – The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program will host Get On Board, a business-to-business networking event, to share information about upcoming contracting opportunities with interested vendors. The CREATE partners will discuss anticipated timelines for design, right-of-way and construction work packages for projects such as the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project during the event’s opening session. The event is scheduled to kickoff at 10:00 am on Monday, April 26, 2021. Due to the pandemic, the event will be entirely conducted online. Register for Get On Board at tinyurl.com/CREATEGetOnBoard2021. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The same Zoom link will work for each of the sessions.
Get On Board was initiated to facilitate networking between certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms, small businesses and rail-industry prime contractors specializing in engineering, design and construction. Previous events were held in 2019 at Kennedy-King College; 2013 at Ford Chicago Assembly Plant; and in 2010 at the Chicago White Sox’s park. Participants from previous Get On Board events have gone on to procure work with the CREATE Program.
In addition to hearing from CREATE partners this year, Get On Board will include virtual Business Presentations where attendees will have opportunities to hear from other businesses about their services and explore opportunities to team on future proposals. Contact information for businesses in attendance will be shared after the event to facilitate further networking.
The schedule of events includes:
- Monday, April 26 from 10:00 am – 10:30 am: Welcoming Remarks
- Monday, April 26 from 10:30 am – 11:30 am: CREATE Overview Upcoming Opportunities
- Monday, April 26 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Railroad Opportunities Panel
- Tuesday, April 27 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Public Agency Opportunities Panel
- Tuesday, April 27 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Working on CREATE: An Insider’s Perspective
The Business Presentations will take place the following times:
- Wednesday, April 28 from 10:00 am – 11:30 am AND 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
- Thursday, April 29 from 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Recordings and materials from this event are available: https://www.createprogram.org/gob/
