Good afternoon.
Why?
Well.
Welcome members of the city council.
Commit.
Comedian, Contracting oversight, are Kadeem and City
officials and all the tenants?
I'm in the midst of your chair and vice-chair.
Is.
Is Autumn and Daniel the spider.
And we are in our first.
Committee.
Committee meeting.
As.
As my being your chair.
Did they?
Today, we are going to be addressing veterans and small
distance.
Pilot program. However, before we get started, I need to do
a roll call, but before I do the roll call, I would like to
get a motion to accept.
Autumn and Coleman as present as she's appearing on Zone
today. And if there's no, can I get a motion to accept some
more about Autumn and Irving?
I know.
you know, Jackson so ordered
Thank.
Thank you. Thank you, chairman and thank you. Sharon,
Ervin. All right. I need to go to the road called automatic
mrs. Present
Armand, vice-chair laspada.
Armand doll.
Are.
Ottoman Mitchell.
Are.
Alderman Harris.
Armand Ramirez.
where,
When?
Ramirez.
ottoman called minutes present by way of
Do.
Zone. Ottoman, Taylor.
How to?
Alderman Burnett.
Are.
Armed intervention.
Are.
Autumn.
Ottoman tellifero.
Arden theater.
Are.
Armin Nugent.
Thank.
Thank you.
Are.
Armond Gardner.
We?
We have 10 members present. We have a quorum
I'll
I like to go back now and renew that motion to allow armed.
How to?
Armand, Taylor ottoman Coleman was moved by.
Is.
Is moved by autumn in Irving.
All in favor. Signify by saying, I
Can you?
Can, you know the chairs, the eyes have it?
The movie.
I moved here. I come. It's for today and appears that we
have two speakers. Each speaker will be allowed three
minutes.
Right speaker, with B.
It's
Mr. Mario short
My.
Mario, thank you.
Good.
Good afternoon, chairwoman mints and members of this
esteemed committee. Thank you for the opportunity to come
before you today to shed light on the LED water line
replacement arfi. My name is Mario shorty, you say court
with General, heavy civil Public, Utilities infrastructure,
construction firm,
Probably.
How to say I'm in Chicago, native born and raised in
Inglewood and a US Marine Corps veteran site is
headquartered in Chicago with offices across the country
built the national footprint with Department of Defense
Department of energy and federal other federal government
agencies, my purpose. For my, the purpose for my visit
today is to shed light on the LED water line replacement.
Shock did April 5th. 2023 wood to wish No Award has been
made to this date. The water infrastructure financing,
Innovation act and led service line replacement initiatives
or multibillion-dollar, federally funded programs critical
to clean, drinking water, a local national public rights.
Has historically, Jack programs are utilized for
resourceful and inclusivity allowed diverse small and
medium-sized Prime contractors participation. I'm here
because of this. Committee's mission is to ensure fairness
and Equity across Chicago.
Contractor.
Contracting.
Contracting apparatus, deliver, water, line replacement,
Jack's performance, bonding and insurance requirements as
written excludes, the verse small medium-sized Prime firms
participation. Requiring firms bond in some cases in excess
of fifty billion dollars per district. There are eight
districts.
cuz,
Customarily, Jack programs require minimal bondings as a
jacks or Capital are not capital projects, but required
Bonds on a task, go to level the task orders for the lamp.
Or do I replace the Jack are between 20,000 and $40,000 per
task order. In most cases, the performance guarantee
required to participate in the LED water line, replacement
deterred from the with sights, socio-economic categories,
and profile from participating in the process. What's at
stake here is the immediate capacity to create hundreds of
new high-paying, construction careers as well as developing
and emerging entrepreneurs in, in our communities, for for
a generation.
As.
As you are aware of our communities, desperately need and
deserve gainful, high-paying long-term careers delay, water
line replacement. Shock could be a game-changer for
Chicago's undisturbed and underrepresented communities with
this. In mind. We're requesting this committee and the new
Administration perform a post-mortem on the border line
replacement Jack is it as it was written, it excludes,
small-to-medium-sized prime contractor
Andy.
and the
And the RFP was devoid of fair, and Equitable requirements
number to review the let water line. Replacements
performance, guarantee Insurance in an insurance
requirements as they are outside the norm for job programs,
their excessive exclusionary and puts it in normal amount
of unwanted wiscolift participating businesses. Last lamb,
requesting that this committee advocate for a rebid of the,
that water line replacement job. Thank you for your time
today. Thank you so much. Mrs. Still coming down. Thank
you. I next speaker is going to be Mr. Blakemore
contract Supply.
Racism, always bring up the race card. I can always play
that card.
Who get a job good and service in this contract.
The.
The white man, the white businessmen and the black kid,
nothing but the crawl that contract, you got a powerful
position german-made, you can use it to empower engaged and
to help black people and please.
Are you?
Are you knew you're the new chairman? Please always bring up
the race card. I'm looking at you.
You a black lady.
and,
And we want you to advocate for black people.
All the nuns drink with chaa, Contracting Job Program in
all this government contract. And what if we want we want
to have a set aside. Oh, that's illegal.
These.
These white folk making legal legal.
I'm expecting you to me things. Legal equality equity.
Papa.
Bob black people.
Now I expect each one of my black elected official young
man. You knew here Mister all over at Karen another
conversation. That's the way I show up and show out every
time I come here and you I want that, sexy be focused on
me. Miss all in that white shirt. You talkin that white
man? I'm talkin black.
I'm talk.
I'm talkin black and I'm not scared to use the race card.
I'm not going to lick it official. I'm a concerned Citizen.
And my concern is focused on black people.
Good job contract in service. I want all of you to read
that article that that Willie Wilson have out. I don't know
if he's mad or what the truth will set you free about
having black representations. That's not representing. You
are now the head of contract and compliance
and,
And I challenge you. You got to be fair.
We?
We are behind. Do we need a head start?
We need the majority, we need it and I urge each one of my
black elected official to use race car.
Thank.
Thank you, mister.
Thank.
Thank you, mr. Blake Moore.
My next order of business is to approval of the roof. 45
report from September 19th 2022, which was sent out to all
the committee members going to get a motion to approve. The
roof 45 report to move my arm Irving. All those in favor
signify by saying, I ain't at the chair that I have it.
Buffet.
Before the committee address is our agenda item. I would
like to welcome and introduce the leadership team and staff
from the Chicago Department of procurement service, which
is DPS, the big city council. Welcome to Chicago Department
of procurement Services City of Chicago contract with
origin for the humans of goods and services for the city of
Chicago. So can we give them a round of applause? Thank
you, all.
As chair of the city council, Contracting oversight, and a
credit committee. I'm looking forward to working with them
on Innovative approaches to advance this issue.
I told.
I told yesterday which was Thursday, July 13th, this
Chicago Department, procurement service held their 10th
Annual it kill me.
Empower.
Until?
Intelligent. We took place at Malcolm X College from 9 to 5
and the procurement Napoleon was an excellent information,
afford a vent, the future resources, education and
networking opportunities for vendors, seeking to do
business with the city of Chicago. The gold was the key
City Outreach initiative initiative. It's a dirt diversify,
its Benders Boo and provide Equitable access to contractors
opportunities, but small minority owned. Veteran-owned
women, own disadvantage firm, and firm on Old owner,
operator by people with disabilities in their brain, to you
Chief procurement officer Alan Vasquez and she's in term
going to introduce the staff with her.
and,
And we can we give her a Mike. Thank you.
Then why?
Good morning.
Thank you, share women. Mix and to my right my name is
Nadine Velazquez Chief procurement officer for the city of
Chicago to my right is Patrick Hall, general counsel and
managing Deputy officer.
The next.
The next person is Lisa Friel and she said that paper,
Kevin office of community outreach next to Lisa. You'll see
Monica Jimenez. She's my first Deputy following Monica,
you'll see Terry Morgan. She's too contacting Equity
officer and following Tammy is Ben hole. Deputy procurement
officer of it and last but not least, is Ryan Gage, deputy
director of community engagement Communications. Thank you.
Thank you so much. I thought it would be very important to
have them to come down so everyone can see in for the new
members to get to know who there who are the ones that you
need to contact for information. And thank you for that.
Do.
so, today there's one item before the committee
I'd
Item number 02023, 0 0 0 1 to 10. Section 2 Dash 92-9, 55,
it's Amendment regarding extension of a pilot program. Go
for local veteran-owned, small business from July 31st.
2023 to July, 31st 2026, the sponsoring ottomans are
ottoman. Yeagers, ottoman, Conway, ottoman taliferro
Villegas. If you would like to,
Come.
Come in your own way. Give us an overview. This is a very
good.
Pilot program is being and I really appreciate the
opportunity to you giving us today to extend his program.
Thank you, madam Sharon members of the committee. Thank you
for putting forward. This item for consideration. This is a
continuation of a pilot program that this body passed in
2020. And this is an ordinance that allows for
veteran-owned businesses, the ability to procure Services
Contracting opportunities.
Albert.
Alberta City of Chicago. As you know, there are tons of
returning veterans that are coming to Chicago. That have
acquired skills over there, 10 years in the military. And
this allows them the ability with there being exposed to
trades and exposed to professions the ability to form a
company. And then ultimately do work with the city of
Chicago as well as with Cook County. So this is been so far
a good pilot program. We want to extend it and encourage
and work with all the alderman to encourage veteran-owned
businesses that are located within their Ward. To get
certified with the city, Chicago have an opportunity to
pursue a career in the billions of dollars and sea Chicago
does an annual basis and I would ask for a favorable
consideration if no other members would like to speak on
it.
Thank.
Thank you. Aaron Villegas El Rincon way. I see your hand is
raised. Yes, Madam chairwoman. And of course, a non-member
of the, of the committee and I just passed my my attendance
and I see Alderman. Now Hall is here, as well as a
non-member of the, of the committee. So just to acknowledge
that,
You know, today, you know, what is I sit here today? I have
the pleasure of being, in a being Alderman, Conway. But
actually tomorrow, I have the pleasure of being Lieutenant
Commander Conway because I may still active reservist who
has drill this weekend and I and I am here.
Man.
Madame.
Madam chairwoman to thank you for taking taking up this
extension of the pilot program for veteran-owned small
businesses as well as to thank Alderman Villegas Corporal
be a guest for his or his leadership is. Well, it is well
on this matter is someone who served two stints overseas
and in the Middle East is part of the global war on terror
and also in our European command. During during covid-19
know that coming back from overseas, it is jarring, it is
displacing and you feel like your whole life had the the
plug pulled. And the fact that this body
In.
Indoor.
Indirectly the very importantly, combats that through this
ordinance by helping our veteran-owned small businesses and
gives them gives the leg up to our veterans is a wonderful
thing. And that is why I am here is a a co-sponsor and and
supporter of alderman Villegas and this committee and doing
this. And I would urge my colleagues to vote. Yes, in.
Extending this pilot program in and thank you. Madam.
Chairwoman for for letting me speak on this matter. Thank
you.
I'm
I like to add ottoman Mitchell and Armon dada's being
present for the roll-call determine the corner. Come in a
question or Urban with next week about you're just real
quick and I guess I'll direct is to
LabCorp.
Play.
What automobile gets even better in business with the
implementation of this program. Number one, and number two,
I don't know where we at our overall, on our nbe
categorically between our racial categories. Year-to-date
perspective, thank you for that question. All men are men
so
Chief procurement officer Velasquez going to answer the
detail questions. But what I heard as relates to the firms
have been certified. This car proximity between 90 to 100
firms that have been certified over the course of the pilot
program. Obviously we need to get more. I think I'm in
discussion with veteran owned firms. One of the barriers
that they've been facing, I'm going to be talking with
people. Tripping office is the application process just so
you know, in the state of Illinois.
that's,
At CMS. They allow for some reciprocity if there is a
certification has been done by federal agency that has
service service, disabled or veteran-owned businesses and
use, these are some additional make additional pager to
that the state requires but they don't have to go to the
owners process of reapplying. They allow for that
application. Plus the additional formation to to be
adequate enough for the certification to be justified is a
veteran-owned business. So I would hope that in trying to
get more veteran owned firms into the pool that we would be
creative and removing some of the barriers that that are
hindering firm or firms becoming certified as relates to
the mwbe participation. This, this is the veteran goals
that are assigned our income into. It's not taking away
from the 25 and 5 that this body has spread put forward.
so,
So if you think about it, if you're an African
American-owned or Latino own or woman on veteran business
potential, you have two bites at the Apple and so if you
can't be part of the mwbe component, you can Lobby for the
VB key component in and also they can, you could also if a
contractor wanted to prime contractor, wanted to could
utilize you for for all three of you work an African or
Latino owned women-owned veteran-owned business to try to
get to go again.
Stop.
Absolute.
Stop to be the prime vendor to do that, but it doesn't take
away from the mwbe component. And it's, in addition to
Thank.
Thank you.
Cheap would you like to ask something?
and,
And if I can get you to come down here, I'm so that I don't
have any additional comments. I think I'll demand has
covered it, but I can tell you that and 50 Phoebe's that I
start a fight between the city and cook and out of 150
companies. 97 are certified by the city of Chicago.
I'm in Irving.
The.
Dion. These are the battery companies in the certification
is a different certification than we do or where accepting
a
enough.
another unit of government certification for the veteran
component,
Tammy, can you take that please?
And you.
And you stand up please and state your name for the record.
We don't have reciprocity with anyone on b. B, e
application.
so,
Sonia.
So,
So then the earlier number that was missing, one was with
the county and one was with the city. So those are with the
county. Don't count toward city. City participation is, is
there a difference in the process? Or why wouldn't we
accept a county certification or state certification was
Federal certification is part of our certification process
in respect to not only that but I would argue that if a
business is certified by the county that to mve, why would
we accept that cross?
Like, I guess I was going to say cross-collateralization,
but Cross certification, we have reciprocity with the
county on m. B, e, w e, b, b e. So we have it in summer
areas but not in others. The other part of the question,
which relates to the overall numbers in the business that
we're doing with Bea Bea's as well as
Are.
Aren't aren't.
R r. N b e categories, broken down by race and I don't know
if you had that information today, but if you could provide
that you to show, we definitely would definitely can
utilize that.
Well.
We'll just we'll provide information through the chair.
Let you have it today. I don't
Are you doing ottoman Aerosmith? Thank you. Alright.
let's,
Let me add ottoman Mosley, as a non-member and be added to
the core. Maria member of the committee. I don't have him.
Oh, Autumn and Hauling sorry. Sorry, I apologize. It's
okay. We will get it together. Sooner or later your
birthday.
and,
And also we had a non-member.
I meant time way.
Make.
Next, we have a container.
Thank.
Thank you Cheryl woman.
I will.
I would have had appreciate us having the data on this,
because we're just, we're talkin, it's always good to see
that way. The community is Connie informed of what we
doing, and so make sure you ask for, in the budget, some
money, for one of them fancy presentation, so that we can
actually see the numbers because I'm being asked to vote on
something that was a pilot. And I would want to see the
numbers on how we're doing. And I also want to see through
the chair. It set up War by War, because I feel like a lot
of times we do these great programs and we, we want to be
able to advertise them to the folks, in our community. We
don't always and soul.
It would.
It would have been great to know that you all had the event
not to say that I was coming. So I'm not saying that but so
that we can all participate and kind of see what you all
are saying that's helpful for us and that's helpful for us
to be able to educate our community and so through the
chair, can you give us a breakdown of War by Ward on? Who
is taking advantage of the program and then can you through
the chair? Send us more information about how people sign
up on how they take advantage of this cuz we do a bunch of
great stuff but it doesn't always get out to the community
like we wanted to and so the thought that this was a pilot
and you all want to do it more make sense. What I want to
see those numbers.
Can't you?
Alright. Something may I I do want to say that the reason
why we are supporting the extension is to ensure that we
have data it's only been two years of the pilot. I normally
our contracts are 5 to 7 sometimes even 10 so we're looking
to be able to compile the data to be able to assess the
success of the pilot and how can we improve it. So the data
if it's while we're waiting to obtain by a by extending the
term of the pilot,
so,
So, I'll get I hear you but this comes with money, correct?
This is something that that is when it comes out. Not
money, as well as is, but it was advertisement. And so we
still want to be able to see even if it's been two years.
So that we really invest in their really see what the
needs. How do we help you pushing more? And so, this is
more of us. We say, how do we help you? Make sure that
we're getting more veterans, more folks around the city to
know about the program so that you have the right date us
to, to push to say, this is something that the city needs
to continuously. Do, thank you, I appreciate that. I saw,
you know what we do today? Doesn't cost anybody any money.
We actually have now that information on vbe participation
in our sourcing document. So every
Single document kind of.
Single document kind of flax that out for our constituents
and community members.
And I also want to.
The p.
The pig.
The piggyback off what the gentleman said when he was
standing up here too. Often. We don't get to see those
those contracts and we don't know who get them and what I'm
finding in my world. And I don't know about anybody else is
that they give the contract to the big. The big contractor
is black, but all a lot of the subcontractors are not. And
so when I'm in my community, looking at stuff being done, I
don't see people that look like me or none of the people I
represent. And so I want us to have an offline
conversation, but I want you to hear that gentleman saying
that we need to really be looking at these these contracts.
And I know that's a small part of what you do. And then
thinking about when we're Contracting out,
I'm up making sure that we going to check this work. Cuz
I'm getting a lot of feedback about things. Just not being
done, right? And I know we do a lot of and I didn't realize
that when I first got here that we contract a lot I think
and water and see that it was really looking up those
contracts because we have people who do that work, I'm in
the city and so I want us to have our conversation.
Definitely, think you met with you. Thank you by Shirley
spider.
Maybe should.
Maybe should know more than I do. Do you have any
recommendations on identifying an Outreach to businesses?
My community? That I might not even know, or veteran do the
best processes for getting them certified. Thank you for
the questionable spot. I would I would recommend probably
using your social media platform as an opportunity to
survey. Your, your businesses that are within your reward
as to whether or not they're veteran-owned businesses and
whether or not they want to picture but the city of
Chicago. And so we we've seen some success, one of the
barriers has been the certification process in the fact of
the matter with the point around Reciprocity for mwbe. But
not for vee-vee. I think it's something we need to take a
look at his body to either give that authority to Chief
procurement officer to be an ordinance or look at different
ways to have more inclusive inclusivity of the
veteran-owned businesses that are trying to do business
with us to Chicago. We, oh,
is brave a
These brave men and women who have fought for this
democracy, that ability to to procurement City of Chicago,
appreciate it. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thanks, Jim. I
want to add on to the request by Sharon, Ervin, who asked
for the, for the, for the numbers. I want a quick question
that you asked add the details as well. The names of the
companies that you had just mentioned that the contracts
are using for five to seven years, the duration of their
contracts,
Basaglar.
Basic all the details of the individual or organization.
Thank you.
Right. Are there any other questions. Sorry, I was running
22, veterans in my War to jump on this day to voice, both
their perspective as well as a nephew of three bedrooms.
And oftentimes it is the case that you know, I veteran
serve our country and then come home to nothing and they
own and so I definitely offline want to set up a meeting.
We heard from a veteran here. Today, we have the
qualifications over 20 years to do work, to fix a crisis
that we have with LED. And so, definitely want an advocate
and find the two Equity, not just the diversity, but the
equity in the fish are black veterans. Were looking to, not
only grow their business, but to do more business out
throughout Chicago. So just definitely excited to be a
supporter of, from a distance, but of course with the
process. So thank you.
and,
Thank.
Thank you.
and,
Any other question comments?
I'm
Time in Vegas for closing a, thank you, madam chair. I
think you members of the committee for, for supporting this
ordinance, we heard from testimony from a Marine, Corps
veteran owned company, that is trying to do work within the
law that service line space and I would add that there's an
opportunity there in the billions. Would it be to put
forward a program from the city to address the issue of
lead service lines? Listen. We're number one in the country
with almost 400,000 let service lines in the city of
Chicago. And billions of dollars of construction work, we
just need to get prepared as a as a as a bottle of the city
to perform this work, the city of the stuff federal
government has provided fifteen billion dollars in the in
in the bipartisan infrastructure bill that address is this.
However, the city of Chicago has not taken advantage of
those federal dollars to put forward, a robust.
Work.
Working Contracting program to get the LED out and so I'll
be introducing an ordinance on Wednesday and for those
interested in in co-signing, going around to try to get
your signature, that's a huge opportunity for minority
women old. And that are no businesses to participate in
this is huge construction project and getting the getting
the LED out of the service.
Was that?
Was that I'm sure I would ask that Facebook consideration
of this morning. I'm kind of program. Thank you.
Alright, I'm in. The viegas has made a motion to recommend
approval of this item.
In.
and,
In question.
not if
Medifirst by the family board of all members present for
the roll call to establish a quorum all in favor. Signify
by saying I
Being.
Do you know the chairs the eyes have it? This matter has
passed.
You're?
You know, jection, so ordered that be no further business
for this committee. Can I get a motion to adjourn?
Tell me.
Remove almond, Harris, Irving, and other. The committee on
contract, go inside and Equity is your bajoran. Thank you.
All and good afternoon to you.