Project Legacy
The Business Opportunity and Workforce Development (BOWD) unit of the NCDOT successfully launched Project Legacy, a business capacity development program for disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) statewide in June 2009.
The goal of Project Legacy is to create sustainable companies and to assist in developing contract opportunities, mentor/protégé relationships with prime contractors, and a 24-month action plan to increase the capacity of each participating DBE firm. Examples of action plan items include increasing bonding limits, securing bank financing, creating employee development and retention programs, improving financial performance, and improving bid success ratios, etc.
The program will be led by entrepreneurial expert Dr. Melvin Gravely, Ph. D., and also will feature business development support by marketing consultant Rohena Miller; management consultant and business coach Michael Washington; North Carolina State University professor Roberto Nunez, P.E., MBA; and financial consultant David Willis, MBA. Dr. Gravely and Mr. Nunez are also faculty of the DBE Executive Management Program.
BOWD Director Shelton Russell said, "Development of Project Legacy reflects the changing landscape of business, and our goal is to make sure that we're supporting DBEs and helping them to build capacity, create sustainable systems, and to remain competitive."
Participating DBEs will receive ongoing support and assistance over a two-year period in the areas of Operations/Human Resources, Finance, Management, Marketing and General Entrepreneurship. There are also plans to develop a Legal Clinic, providing legal counseling and representation and other services such as contract reviews and consulting.
The kickoff meeting for this initiative was held on Friday, June 26, 2009, from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. in the boardroom of the NCDOT Highway Building in Raleigh. Approximately 20 North Carolina companies signed on as participants for the Project Legacy launch.
NCDOT's inclusion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) serves as a catalyst for the program. Beginning in March 2009, and concluding in November 2009, NCDOT will let highway construction contracts of more than $1 billion. All of these projects have DBE goals assigned, and it is the mission of the BOWD Unit to create the maximum opportunity for DBE firms to participate in these projects. BOWD has performed extensive outreach to the DBE community, and to prime contracting firms, to ensure that both groups are aware of the subcontracting opportunities available to meet the DBE goals.
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