Last week we posted the stories of Katherine Norve, a single mom working on the Regional Connector project, and Eric Barnes, a young father who turned his life around and is now working on the Purple Line Extension. The two workers were hired onto Metro projects through the agency’s Project Labor Agreement/Construction Careers Policy (PLA/CCP).

Our focus this week is on the agency’s disadvantaged/small business programs.

The above video is the story of Cristina Ramos (English subtitles available), the owner of Printing Services USA, a print shop based in Boyle Heights. Cristina first began working with Metro through the agency’s disadvantaged enterprise program (DBE) during the construction of the Gold Line in the early 2000s. Nearly 15 years later, her business is still going strong.

Cristina’s story is part of a four-video series featuring construction workers and small business owners whose lives have been positively impacted by working on Metro projects through the agency’s Project Labor Agreement/Construction Careers Policy (PLA/CCP) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise/Small Business Enterprise (DBE/SBE) program.

The agency hopes the programs have provided residents with the opportunity to use their own hard work to build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.

A little more background on the two programs from Metro’s Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department (DEOD):

Project Labor Agreement (PLA) & Construction Career Policy (CCP)

Metro adopted the CCP in conjunction with the PLA to encourage construction employment and training opportunities to those who reside in economically disadvantaged areas on Metro construction projects. The agreement applies to certain local (non-federally) funded and federally funded construction projects with a construction value greater than $2.5 million. The PLA is unique in that Metro is the first transit agency in the nation to adopt such an agreement with national targeted hiring goals for federally funded projects with FTA approval. Metro’s new “Pilot Local Hire Initiative” enables Metro to implement local hiring requirements on both Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) contract opportunities advertised before March 6, 2017. 

For more information on the program, click here.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DVBE) / Small Business Enterprise (SBE) programs

Metro’s DBE and SBE/DVBE programs ensures that disadvantaged, small and disabled veteran businesses have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in Metro contracting.  The programs are to create a level playing field for which DBE and SBE/DVBE firms can compete fairly on both federal and or non-federally-funded contracts.  For more information on Metro’s small business programs and learn to how to get certified as an DBE, SBE or DVBE, click here.