HB 170 funds have opened up opportunities for small businesses.
Could Your Business Benefit from a GDOT Contract?
In September 2015, Gov. Nathan Deal signed the Transportation Funding Act (HB 170) into law, which generates about $1 billion per year in revenue for state transportation needs. Following the enactment of this law, the Georgia Department of Transportation is actively seeking small businesses for contracts tackling the state’s backlog of transportation maintenance projects. These projects were previously handled by the state, but this privatization move means the work can now be done with more efficiency, at lower cost, and without all the extra GDOT overhead.
“Flexibility in funding due to the Transportation Funding Act has given GDOT the ability to create a special program focused on engaging small businesses in Georgia with the Department on a variety of statewide maintenance needs,” says Natalie Dale, GDOT’s media and government relations liaison. “Prior to the passage of HB 170, the majority of maintenance activities were handled exclusively by GDOT District staff. This growth in funding allows for increased contracts for smaller businesses who may not have previously had opportunities to work with GDOT.”
In order to make it easier for small businesses to qualify and bid on GDOT projects, the department’s website has been updated with a clear, step-by-stop process on qualifying as a contractor for Routine Maintenance Projects. There are 12 key project areas that small businesses, once approved as a qualified contractor, can bid on:
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Fencing installation, repair, and maintenance services
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Herbicide application services
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Highway mowing and maintenance services
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Joint repair of bridge structures
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Landscaping maintenance services
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Pavement marking, short line pavement striping
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Pavement preservation maintenance services
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Concrete and Portland Cement Concrete pavement maintenance services
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Sound barrier wall installation, repair, and maintenance services
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Traffic signal maintenance
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Tree cutting, pruning, and removal services
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Vegetation removal services
Qualified contractor applications are due by the first of each month to be processed that month, and once qualified, contractors will receive email alerts about new bidding opportunities in their areas of service. Businesses can then bid on these opportunities through Team Georgia Marketplace.
“I am very pleased that the Legislature and GDOT are being intentional about making it easier for Georgia small businesses to bid on this work,” says Nathan Humphrey, NFIB’s Georgia state director. “A lot of times small businesses get lost in the complicated process of becoming compliant or just don’t know where to even start. This is a win-win for Georgia small businesses and Georgia taxpayers.”
To take advantage of these opportunities and for more information about contractor qualification and the bidding process, visit http://www.dot.ga.gov/PS/Business/Prequalification/RoutineMaint.
