With the city`s award of the 911 contract to Fluor-Daniel, Inc., a question comes to mind. How will Fluor-Daniel guarantee that minority- and women-owned technical businesses have the maximum opportunity to participate in this project?
The 911 project is to be the nation`s premier installation of its type, setting new standards for such facilities and systems, and is expected to be the largest contract awarded in Chicago`s history. Quite a coup for California-based Fluor-Daniel, when one considers the local talent in communication systems development.
There are minority- and women-owned firms that have the technical expertise and can provide the services such a project calls for. Qualified firms should be given the opportunity to contribute to a project that will be their best chance to progress in the foreseeable future. It would be a denial of the essence of the city`s minority program to restrict participation to non-technical firms.
Potential long-term benefits to the community derived from vital minority- and women-owned technical firms could remain just that-a potential.
