Gilbane Rising Contractor Program
Building More Than Buildings. Building Partnerships.
We believe in the future of our Rising Contractors, which is why Gilbane is committed to generating $100 million in awards to program graduates over the next five years.
The Gilbane Rising Contractor program provides our diverse and disadvantaged trade partners an opportunity to develop and broaden their industry skills and knowledge while also gaining first-hand insight on working with Gilbane.
Upon successfully completing the program, participants enter into a one-year formal mentorship agreement with a senior-level Gilbane representative. During this process, participants prequalify with Gilbane in preparation of bid opportunities upon graduation.
Session Topics
Through 10 weekly, two-hour virtual sessions – with an in-person orientation and graduation – led by Gilbane subject matter experts, participants develop relationships through knowledge sharing centered around topics such as prequalification, risk management, financial strength, and business development.
- Orientation (in-person)
- Introduction and Economic Inclusion Overview
- Developing Financial Strength
- Getting Prequalified
- Safety Forward
- Winning Work
- Setting Yourself Up for Success
- Managing Change in the Field
- Leveraging Technology
- Competing with Sustainability and Innovation
- Business Development and Marketing
- Graduation (in-person)
Quick Links
Applications are now closed for the 2024 session.
Are you a 2nd-tier subcontractor, supplier, or professional services firm? Click here to add your business to Gilbane’s DOSB database.
Program Eligibility
Due to the high demand of the Rising Contractor program and the limitations on the number of firms we can accept to maintain quality, our acceptance rate is approximately 10%. You do not have to be a Rising Contractor to work with Gilbane. We encourage you to become a qualified trade partner by registering in our prequalification platform, Compass by clicking here.
To be eligible for the Rising Contractor program, participants must commit to the following:
- A completed application: Gilbane representatives will use this to determine acceptance into the program.
- Attend ALL sessions of the program. Two people from each firm may be designated as program participants. They need to occupy critical roles and should include a business owner.
- Complete the Gilbane pre-qualification process on Compass.
- Must hold a Certification in one of the following categories (various by region): Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB), or other relevant certification.
- Must be in business for at least two (2) years.
Program at a Glance
245
Rising Contractors
109
Gilbane team members
“Participating in the Rising Contractors program has been an accelerator for our company. The information we gained on what is important to a larger construction corporation has helped us refine our approach to how we market ourselves to big firms as we attempt to grow. I would say the biggest impacts came from the networking capabilities and the one-on-one mentorship program that helped us develop relationship with the Gilbane team allowing us the opportunity to bid large projects and ultimately we were awarded a multi-million dollar project.”
David Lopez, Owner of DL Metal Design
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“Our success is measured by the opportunities we’ve created, our willingness to celebrate diversity, and the impact we’ve had on the education and growth of someone along the way.”
Yvette Stevens
Director of Economic Inclusion & Community Affairs