DOT forum offers project information for small businesses

TIFTON — Elected Albany and Dougherty County officials were obviously caught off guard when Deputy Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Dover told them Monday a forum had been planned for next Wednesday to discuss possibilities for local contractors to get their share of some $200 million in maintenance funding that will be included in the agency’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget.

“This is a well-kept secret as far as the folks around here are concerned,” District 6 County Commissioner Anthony Jones said after Dover made the announcement during a meeting with the Albany and Dougherty commissions and the area’s local state legislative delegation.

Not long after the meeting, though, DOT officials sought to rectify that concern.

“Within a matter of minutes after that meeting, (Tifton-based District 4 Engineer) Chad Hartley had reached out to us,” Jones said Thursday. “None of us (on the city and county commissions) had been made aware of the meeting, but I don’t think it was an intentional attempt to keep us uninformed. It was just a lack of communication.

“State and local governments have to work together, but we can’t blame all of (the lack of communication) on state officials. We’ve got to reach out, too, do a better job of keeping up with what’s out there. It’s definitely a two-way street.”

Hartley forwarded local officials information about the Transportation Funding Act Forum scheduled Wednesday at GDOT’s District 4 Assembly Room at 710 W. Second St. in Tifton. The free two-hour forum, which starts at 1 p.m., will focus on contract opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses that qualify for “disadvantaged business enterprise” designation. Dover told local officials much of the $200 million set aside for maintenance would be outsourced, offering such businesses “opportunities they’ve never had before.”

Dover said the state will outsource jobs ranging from $50,000 to $2 million for such work as pavement repair, roadway striping, mowing and maintenance of roadside vegetation. The GDOT deputy commissioner said bid information would be sent to businesses that “prequalified,” and Wednesday’s forum will include information on how to achieve such status.

“DOT has done their part, now we need to spread the word to folks in our community,” Jones said. “We’re reaching out to contractors we know of, but we’re also spreading the word to make sure as many as possible hear about this meeting. This is an excellent opportunity for some of our small and minority-owned businesses to bid on significant projects. It can make a big difference for them.”

Information about the forum is available by calling Scotty Mathis at (229) 391-5517 or emailing [email protected]. Jones said he and District 5 County Commissioner Harry James will attend the forum and be available afterward for those who cannot attend. Contact Jones at (229) 344-8770 or James at (229) 347-2736.