OBD&EO

Supportive Services & Outreach Efforts


Supportive Services

  • We sponsor technical assistance workshops designed to help small businesses develop and grow to the next level. When your firm is added to our mailing list you will be notified about workshops and other supportive services offered by our office and other providers.
  • We publish a quarterly newsletter, News Alert, that keeps readers informed about national and local issues of interest, identifies upcoming purchase and contract opportunities, and provides information about upcoming events. At your request, we will even "spotlight" your firm in one of the editions.
  • When we receive an informational packet (e.g. a firm brochure, line card, or other marketing material) describing the services provided by your firm we will include the information in our M/W/SBE directories. We make our directories available to the public.
  • At your request, we will provide you with copies of the Prospective Bidders List and the results of each letting.
  • At your request, we will facilitate a meeting with appropriate staff at the DRPA or PATCO to assist you in your effort to do business with DRPA and/or PATCO.
  • Each year OBD&EO publishes a Year End Report which identifies every MBE, WBE or DBE that did business with DRPA and/or PATCO. The report outlines the service(s) performed by the company, the value of the contract, subcontract or purchase order, and notes how much each firm was actually paid during that year. The report is mailed to every company on our mailing list.
  • The assurance of prompt payment is one of the cornerstones of our nondiscrimination programs. To that end, our programs require Prime contractors/consultants to pay each subcontractor/supplier for satisfactory performance of their subcontract no later than ten (10) calendar days from the receipt of payment from the DRPA. As a service to M/W/DBEs, each month OBD&EO staff contact all M/W/DBE subcontractors/suppliers to make sure there are no outstanding payment issues. In the event a problem does exist OBD&EO staff contact the prime to find out why prompt payment has not been made.
  • Each month, OBD&EO staff contact a random number of M/WBEs to find out the reason(s) they did not bid on a procurement opportunity. The feedback we receive is carefully reviewed and shared with our Purchasing Department.
  • On request, OBD&EO staff will arrange debriefing sessions for unsuccessful bidders/proposers with appropriate staff for the purpose of helping the bidder/proposer gain constructive feedback.

Outreach

The DRPA is firmly committed to establishing a diverse pool of businesses from which to seek bids and proposals. We recognize that focused outreach is the most effective way to connect with the diverse communities that we serve. In addition to providing technical assistance and hosting seminars on "how to" do busines with DRPA and PATCO, staff from the Office of Business Development & Equal Opportunity, along with staff from the Purchasing and Contract Administration units, actively participate in local Expos and procurement fairs sponsored by, among others, the:

  • African American Chamber of Commerce of PA-NJ-DE
  • Minority Supplier Development Council of PA-NJ-DE
  • Regional Alliance for Small Contractors
  • Small Business Administration (SBA)
  • Small Business Development Centers (NJ/DE/PA)
  • Women's Business Development Center (WBDC)
  • Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ
  • Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce