By Kimetha Hill
The unemployment rate continues to tick downward at a slow, steady pace. However, African Americans continue to lag behind, still displaying an unemployment rate of 13 percent as of August 2013. In the construction industry, Blacks are lastly considered in in the selection process when it comes receiving contracts. Specifically in San Diego, black small businesses suffer due to a variety of issues, from lack of exposure to a complete shortage of resources.
But on Thursday, December 5, the San Diego Airport Authority hosted a special event geared towards historically underrepresented small businesses and contractors in the San Diego area, and help them better prepare to win contracts for work at the San Diego International Airport. The Small Business Opportunity Awareness event held at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation welcomed local small business owners and contractors, giving them insight into major current and upcoming projects at the San Diego International Airport, and how to successfully secure those contracts. Sonia Cruz, Business Development Manager for the Airport Authority provided the welcoming for the afternoon. Construction is moving forward on a new Rental Car Center and general aviation complex on the Northside property (formerly General Dynamics), and these projects are projected to create more than $470 million in contracts.
“Today is about how you begin to access those opportunities. We do these around the region,” said President and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, Thella Bowens, of the opportunity. “And we do them because sometimes people think that working at the airport or getting work at the airport is this mysterious process and that you have to know somebody – or that you have to pay someone to access this opportunity. We really just want you to get to know who we are. Doing business with us is no different than doing business with almost any other public arena. We hope that we’re making that probability a lot easier for you, and we can do that because we’re so much smaller than most large public agencies.”
The afternoon event featured an intimate panel of supporters including fourth district councilwoman Myrtle Cole. Ms. Thella Bowens provided an overview of the SD County Regional Airport Authority, its purpose and mission to provide much needed opportunities to the small business sector. She mentioned the Green Build, the Terminal 2 expansion and the new roadway system at the airport. “And that is the largest improvement project ever put in place at San Diego International Airport.” She added, “The important part about that, is that small and local businesses were instrumental in the success of the Green Build, and they will continue to play a major role in the construction projects.”
Other opportunities include the future rental car center, which will be located on the north side of the airport, and a fixed base operator project (both of which are under construction right now). Bowens explained that those facilities house the general aviation and the private aircraft aspects of the business.
“We will also be building cargo facilities in the future and all of that work is taking place on the north side of the airfield (located on the section of Pacific Hwy),” she said. “In addition to the north side projects, there is a rolling capital program. Over a five year period, that program has almost $500 million worth of work.” In the current fiscal year, this program normally produces between $80 and $100 million. Bowens advised that this will include anything from work on the taxiways to reconstruction opportunities within the existing buildings. Additionally, the security checkpoint at Terminal 2 will be reconfigured.
Mr. Bob Bolton, Director of Airport Design and Construction of the Airport Authority delivered an in-depth look of the projects, notably the scheduled rental car center.
“Most big cities consolidate rental car companies into one big 2 million square foot parking structure,” said Bolton. And the construction of the new Rental Car Center will contribute to reduced vehicle traffic on Harbor Drive, helping lower carbon emissions and making the rental car business more efficient. Bolton added, “We can now have one bussing system that supports one building and houses over 15 rental car companies – this will consolidate all of that activity.”
Ultimately, the rental car center will save money for the rental car industry, while earning money for the airport authority, “and it makes things much more efficient,” concluded Bolton.
Afterwards, participants were divided into three groups and listened in on workshops including: The Bidding Process for Northside Work, Bonding and Contract Financing Assistance Program and Pre-Qualification Process for Rental Car Center.
There were only 8 African Americans present for the afternoon event, but this group is strongly encouraged to register for opportunities with the airport.
The Airport Authority has several programs and initiatives in place, specifically catered to assist small businesses including a small business development department that works exclusively with smaller, emerging businesses in the community. The Airport Authority also partners with the Turner Company in sponsoring the Turner School of Construction Management where students participate in weekly classes for several weeks learning the processes to becoming a formidable player at the airport or any public agency. Additionally, the Airport Authority features a bonding and contract assistance program – the first in San Diego and one of only a few in the country. Online free business tutorials can be found at www.san.org.
Partners for the event included Pac Accion, SCDC North County, as well as a host of exhibitors and other agencies. For more information on small business opportunity awareness and education workshops hosted by the Airport Authority, please visit www.san.org/northsidebusiness.
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