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Today's Challenge Tomorrow's Reward Conference
The Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward conference focuses on providing educational and skill- building workshops, lessons on best practices, and networking opportunities for firms in the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program and contractors wanting to do business with IDOT. The overall goal is to help advance a firm’s skill set and knowledge to increase their competitiveness and opportunities for work on federally funded highway contracts.
For over 30 years, the conference has provided subcontractors, DBE firms and prime contractors with invaluable information. Presentations and workshops include estimating and bidding, project management, erosion control, advanced financing, social media marketing – and much more. In addition, the Office of Business and Workforce Diversity’s Supportive Services team will be attending and ready to assist certified DBE firms. The conference concludes with an awards luncheon recognizing outstanding firms throughout the state.
34th Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward Conference
February 26, 2025 – February 27, 2025
Crowne Plaza Springfield Convention Center
3000 South Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, IL 62703
We are pleased to announce that registration for our upcoming “Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward” (TCTR) Conference is OPEN! Links to our registration page and hotel reservation page are below.
The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel & Convention Center in Springfield, Illinois, on February 26-27, 2025. There is NO REGISTRATION FEE to attend this year’s conference!
The Crowne has reserved a block of hotel rooms for TCTR. The room block will last until the end of January, so be sure to reserve your room today. (NOTICE TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: Make sure that you reserve your room at the preferred allowable maximum federal rate of $110 per night.)
ONCE YOU REGISTER: We are utilizing Microsoft Forms for you to register. We will be transferring all registrations into Pheedloop (the same vendor as last year), so don’t be surprised or confused if you get a second confirmation message about your registration once we upload the registrants into Pheedloop!
DBE / PRIME MEET-AND-GREET AT THE LINCOLN MUSEUM: We will host a DBE/Prime Meet-and-Greet Open House at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield the night before the conference begins. This event will be held on February 25, 2025, from 6-9pm. This catered event is also free and first-come, first-serve to the first 150 people who register. You can reserve your spot when you register for the conference. If you do not see an option for the night before event at the ALPLM, this means the 150 spots are full. Please reach out to Anna Ramirez at anna.m.ramirez@illinois.gov to be placed on the wait list.
NETWORKING RECEPTION / VENDOR FAIR: There is also NO FEE for anyone who wishes to have a table/booth at our annual Networking Reception & Vendor Fair on the evening of February 26th, but those spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To reserve a table for your corporation / agency, select the appropriate category when you begin registration.
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS: Attendees who have certain dietary restrictions will have the opportunity to enter those into your registration information.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER: And finally, be sure to attend our opening General Session / Luncheon on February 26th. Our special guest speaker will be track and field Olympic medalist, Jackie Joyner-Kersee!
More details on our workshop sessions will be available in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please email DOT.SupportiveServices@illinois.gov
Thank you and we hope to see you at TCTR!
REGISTRATION LINK:
https://forms.office.com/g/58xMEavsJ7
HOTEL LINK:
