Workshops for Contractors

THE STARK METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY (SMHA) TO HOST A SERIES OF INFORMATIVE WORKSHOPS FOR CONTRACTORS The Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority (SMHA) is initiating a proactive approach to partnering with local contractors and vendors for its various construction, service, and maintenance projects. A series of informative workshops hosted by the Planning and Development Department will focus on providing interested contractors with the knowledge, tools, and resources to successfully register their company; complete necessary paperwork to comply with local, state, and federal regulations; and successfully submit quote, bid, and proposal documents to SMHA. With an anticipated increase of  24% in the number of scheduled projects from 2014 to 2015, the Planning and Development Department’s efforts to expand its registered contractor list; educate registered contractors on prevailing wages, Section 3, Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) classification, and required Housing and Urban Development (HUD) forms; and increase the awareness and accessibility of partnering with SMHA, are critical to ensure that projects are completed in an accurate and timely manner.  Group contractor workshops will be held, tentatively, the first Wednesday of each month at 3:00 PM beginning July 2015 at the SMHA Central Office at 400 East Tuscarawas St. Canton, OH 44702. Workshops are also available in a one-on-one setting for those who would prefer a more individualized informative session. Contractors who would like to attend group workshops or would like to schedule a one-on-one session are asked to contact Ashley Wright in the Planning and Development Department (330) 454- 8051 ext. 370 or by email at awright@starkmha.org  to register. The Director of Planning and Development stated, “It is our goal to provide anyone who is interested in working with SMHA the opportunity to do so. Our workshops are designed to be an engaging and educational experience where contractors can learn more about partnering with SMHA and get answers to questions they may have. We are excited to take a proactive approach connecting with local businesses and community members to grow our current registration list in order to complete more projects at our housing locations and ultimately, better serve the residents of Stark County.”