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Released: 5/14/2010 

DRPA Receives Done Deals Award

The Delaware River Port Authority’s commitment to diversity and equal opportunity was recognized today with the Done Deals Award from the Women’s Business Enterprise Council of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Southern New Jersey. 

DRPA received the award for having the highest number of actual deals over the last 12-month reporting cycle with women business enterprises certified with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). 

“DRPA is proud to be recognized for its commitment to women business enterprises. This award serves as a testament to the hard work of our Office of Business Development and Equal Opportunity in its effort to continue to increase vendor diversity and assist small business development in our region,” said DRPA Chief Executive Officer John J. Matheussen. 

“DRPA’s Office of Business Development and Equal Opportunity works diligently to develop programs that provide women owned businesses with the resources they need to succeed,” says DRPA CAO Toni Proffitt Brown. “Through our efforts, in 2009, we marked a banner year, creating opportunities for 86 certified women business enterprises totaling $420,502.07.” 

DRPA has made great strides in increasing the number of contracts awarded to minority, women and disadvantaged businesses. From 1989 to 1993, before outreach efforts began, minority, women and disadvantaged businesses’ share of DRPA spending totaled just $2 million. Since 1994, DRPA and PATCO have paid more than $207 million to minority, women and disadvantaged businesses. In 2009, of the $75 million spent on contracts and purchases, more than $15 million was paid to minority, women and disadvantaged businesses. 

This marks the second time the Delaware River Port Authority has won the Done Deals Award. DRPA also received the award in 2004. 

DRPA’s Office of Business Development and Equal Opportunity offers a number of support services to businesses looking to work with DRPA such as a quarterly newsletter, MBE/WBE directory, in-kind training sessions and instant notification of projects, bids and meetings. 

For more information about DRPA’s Office of Business Development and Equal Opportunity, visit www.drpa.org/obdeo. 

The Delaware River Port Authority is a regional transportation agency. DRPA owns and operates the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross bridges, PATCO, the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal and RiverLink Ferry System.

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