Business Development

The Business Capacity Development Program (BCDP) is designed to increase the capacity and capabilities of small, women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses (S/W/MBE firms) to better compete for and participate in MMSD projects. The program increases business owners’ knowledge and confidence in key areas for business success.

In collaboration with established businesses, organizations, and mentors, program participants are able to partake in customized training and mentoring, including:

• Live online business development training seminars
• Online training curriculum
• One-on-one business mentoring

Participants prepare and plan for business improvement, increasing the likelihood of thriving in their industries, and thereby increasing their own success and creating opportunities for others to do the same.

Who Should Participate?

The BCDP is designed specifically for businesses that are certified or taking steps to become certified as an SBE, MBE, WBE, VBE, or DBE.  Individuals who should attend include:

• Business owner
• Operating officer or other key staff
• Critical decision-makers from the firm

Representatives of local non-profit organizations or non-certified firms may also participate if their work relates to MMSD.

Training Seminars

The virtual training seminars replace the in-person seminars that were held in previous years.  The virtual seminars are free live online classes hosted through Microsoft Teams.  The training seminars are divided into three areas of interest.

Construction Management Series

The construction management series is geared toward contractors wishing to hone their skills in estimating, bidding, and project management.  Professional services vendors (consultants) are welcome to attend these seminars, as well, but should keep in mind that the curriculum is primarily based on the construction bidding and operations process.

Consultant Series

The consultant series is geared toward professional services vendors wishing to hone their business financial acumen, company culture, and project management skills.  Other vendors (contractors or suppliers) are welcome to attend these seminars, as well, but should keep in mind that some curriculum may be based in the design/engineering process.

Special Lean Series

New to the 2021/2022 BCDP is the introduction of lean concepts and applications specific to the consulting and contracting industries. The lean series is geared toward all vendors (contractors, consultants, and suppliers) looking to add value to their customers and learn how to navigate a project from development into execution.

Learn more information about the seminars.

Online Training Curriculum

All participants will have access to the online curriculum.

The online curriculum allows participants to experience the value of business development training without taking valuable time away from their work.  Additionally, participants have more opportunities to incorporate what they are learning into their business and reflect on the impact of what they’re doing.

Networking Events

Throughout the program year, a variety of networking events will be held to encourage relationship building amongst BCDP participants, MMSD staff, and other MMSD vendors.

• Four in-person networking sessions highlighting one successful SWMBE business owner at each session – to be held in April and May 2022
• A series of networking events hosted at MMSD prime contractor/consultant locations that will facilitate further relationship building – to be held early 2022
• Virtual speed networking event – date TBD
• Field site event that will walk participants through a recently constructed MMSD green infrastructure project – to be held in Spring 2022

More information on dates, locations, and registration will be made available in early 2022.

For inquiries regarding the program, please email swmbe@mmsd.com.

Description	Date and Time	Registration Link
Estimating Part 1, Before You Bid	Thursday, December 17, 2021 | 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM	Register Here
Estimating Part 2, Estimating Fundamentals	Thursday, January 13, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM	Register Here
Estimating Part 3, Preparing a Bid from Start to Finish	Thursday, January 27, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM	Register Here
Operations & Management Part 1: Planning, Execution & Post Project	Thursday, February 10, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM	Register Here
Operations & Management Part 2: Document Control & Risk Prevention	Thursday, February 24, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM	Register Here
Structuring a Small Business for Success	Thursday, March 17, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM	Register Here

Description	Date and Time	Registration Link
Business Financials Part 1, Financial Reports	Thursday, January 6, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM	Register Here
Business Financials Part 2, Business Measurables	Thursday, January 20, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM	Register Here
Business Financials Part 3, Accountant and Banker Perspective	Thursday, February 3, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM	Register Here
Company Culture	Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM	Register Here
Defining Your Company Culture	Thursday, March 3, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM	Register Here
The Design to Bid Process from the Consultant and Client Perspective	Thursday, March 31, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM	Register Here

Description	Date and Time	Registration Link
Lean Part 1: Applying Lean Methodologies Apply to Any Business	Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM	Register Here
Lean Part 2: Continuous Improvement in Contracting and Consulting	Wednesday, March 16, 2022 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM	Register Here
Lean Part 3: Improving the Quality of the Value Stream in Your Business	Wednesday, March 23, 2022 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM	Register Here