Worldport Project’s Diversity Goal Again Set at High Level
When UPS opened its WorldportSM international air hub here in September 2002, it marked the culmination of the largest construction project in UPS’s history. It also produced a remarkable opportunity for Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) firms because of a commitment by UPS to involve them in the project.
Today, as UPS prepares to start a massive expansion of Worldport, the company once again has set a goal of awarding to minority and women contractors at least 20% of the USD250 million it expects to spend on general construction. That goal is in addition to UPS’s determination to involve minority and female firms in securing components from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).
UPS set an identical goal for the original construction of Worldport, ultimately awarding USD98 million to minority and female firms. The new expansion project, which calls for the first phase to open in 2009, will be completed in 2010.
“We are proud of our continued efforts to increase access and opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses,” said Bob Lekites, vice president of UPS Airline and International Operations. “We fully expect to reach our goal of 20% on this project.”
In the original construction project, UPS worked closely with the local community to identify minority- and women-owned businesses to participate in the bid process. The company plans to utilize the same outreach and mentoring approaches to encourage prime contractors to partner with MWBE firms.
UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories. UPS stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS) and the company can be found on the Web at www.ups.com.
