The Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights, Department of Administration Equity in Procurement, the city of Rochester and Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency invite women, minority, veteran-owned and disadvantaged companies to participate in a certification process and opportunities workshop from 8:30 a.m. to noon Jan. 9 at the MnDOT Rochester Headquarters, 2900 48th St. NW in Rochester. The free workshop will provide guidance through the certification process and insight into bidding on state and local government projects and private development for existing and new small businesses, according to a press release.

Jorrie Johnson, project manager for the city of Rochester overseeing women and minority business participation and workforce employment goals for Destination Medical Center projects, encouraged entrepreneurs to attend the workshop.

“We welcome all types of eligible businesses to participate in the workshop,” she said in the release. “Communications and marketing firms, concrete contractors, developers, excavators and trades people interested in starting their own company are encouraged to attend.”

The Rochester Area-Construction Small Business Support-Collaboration, initiated by  the city of Rochester, convened in August to increase targeted business participation by southeastern Minnesota companies on DMC construction projects. The collaboration immediately recognized identifying eligible companies to get certified and providing support through the certification process strategic to increase targeted business capacity in southeastern Minnesota, the release stated.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certification is recognized by MnDOT. Applying for certification can be time-consuming and an obstacle for small companies, according to the release, and bidding on large government and privately-funded development can also be challenging for small companies. The certification process and opportunities workshop will provide existing and new small businesses guidance, support and resources for getting certified and help them navigate bidding.

Targeted group/economically disadvantaged/veteran-owned small business procurement program certification is done by the Department of Administration Equity Procurement.

To register for the workshop, contact Orlanda Klinkhammer at 651-366-3048 or orlanda.klinkhammer@state.mn.us.