Job fair gives minorities, women chance at millions in contracts

They've always had the tools and talent.

Now, minority and women sub-contractors will have more opportunities to put those gifts into practice during tomorrow's construction job fair conducted by Brandywine Realty Trust and the Keating Building Corp.

The fair will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Brandywine trailer, at 30th and Market streets.

"We are holding the job fair so that subcontractors can be made aware of the Cira South project, and to gain some familiarity with the subcontractor community, and specifically minority subcontractors," said senior project manager Christopher B. Franklin.

"Our specific goal is to help subcontractors go through the pre-qualifying process so they can become bidders."

The projects that the subcontractors will bid on are substantial. The two companies are currently working on two projects totalling more than $270 million in contracting jobs - the Cira Center Parking Garage, a 2,400-space enclosed unit, and the renovation of the 862,000-square-foot former Main Post Office, at 30th and Market streets. The Cira South project, proposed for 30th and Walnut streets, has not been finalized.

All told, there will be 83 packages up for bid, Franklin said. Twenty-five percent of the jobs will go to minority subcontractors, while 8 percent will go to women subcontractors.

An additional 2 percent will be set aside for disabled contractors.

Projects will range from "$25,000 to $10, $15 million," said Franklin, who noted that he also sent out 274 direct-mail solicitations to union officials, the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, the Women's Development Center and the Minority Business Enterprise Council.

Franklin said that a subcontractor must have a positive job history and a proven ability to handle both the volume of work and the money involved.

And that money is not just generated from these two projects at 30th Street, said Tony Rimikis, Brandywine's senior vice president of development.

"There's almost $400 million in construction guaranteed to happen in three years, and we are giving the little guy the opportunity to work on these projects," Rimikis said. "And we will have people on hand to walk subcontractors through the certification process, and MBEC officials will be on-site as well."

News of this job fair should be welcomed in a union-heavy town, especially with the economy in turmoil. But even more can be done, Franklin said.

"It's very important that the subcontractors that we hire reach out to the minority truck drivers; that's how we make a real impact," Franklin said. "Starting with Brandywine and Keating, we have been instrumental in acquiring minority contracts." *