Business Diversity: Success in Partnership

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of columns from the NTTA’s Director of Business Diversity, Anthony Coleman.

A business diversity success story is at work on Section 29 of the President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension. 

Last year, Parsons Brinkerhoff Americas, Inc. and minority-owned TEI Construction and Engineering, Inc., formed a joint venture to work with the NTTA as a construction management firm. Parsons Brinkerhoff holds 51 percent of the joint venture, while TEI holds the remaining 49 percent. The resulting partnership is operating as Tollway Transportation Team.

TEI doesn’t hold a majority of the joint venture and is not considered a Minority Business Enterprise.  TEI’s experience with minority subcontracts has allowed the NTTA to set a diversity goal of 28 percent for the project, which is well above the average diversity participation for past projects for NTTA or other organizations.

Other NTTA contractors are considering using the joint venture as a model for future partnerships. The Tollway Transportation Team joint venture also demonstrates a new level of commitment for NTTA business diversity in promoting teaming and partnership building to increase the level of participation of minority, women, and small businesses on large-scale projects. The Authority continues to push greater inclusiveness and to give diverse businesses the opportunity to gain meaningful experience through partnerships.

The goal is that joint ventures will allow minority-owned, woman-owned, disadvantaged or small business enterprises to grow their capacity and compete for prime contracts with the NTTA. 

The joint venture is expanding TEI’s contracting experience while also giving Parsons Brinkerhoff access to a larger pool of diverse subcontractors. It’s a win-win all the way around, especially for the future of NTTA business diveristy successes.