Including Minority and Women-Owned Businesses
The trustees of the Ocean Wind Pro-NJ Grantor Trust today announced the recipients of the first round of grant funding for small, women-owned and minority-owned businesses. The $15 million fund was established by Ocean Wind 1 following its selection by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in June 2019, to develop an offshore wind farm 15 miles off the southern New Jersey coast. Ocean Wind 1 is a joint venture between Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind, and PSEG, New Jersey’s leading clean energy infrastructure company.
“New Jersey has established itself as a leader in offshore wind and, based on the innovative project ideas put-forth in this first round of applications, small, women-owned and minority-owned businesses in the Garden State are primed to enter this emerging industry and take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the local supply chain,” said Beverly McCall, Esquire, chairperson of the Pro-NJ Grantor Trust. “Thank you to all who applied and congratulations to our inaugural round of recipients.”
Following a comprehensive review period led by the Trustees and the members of Advisory Committee, the Trust is awarding grants totaling nearly $450,000, to six small, women-owned and minority-owned businesses in New Jersey to help them retool or reconfigure their businesses to participate in the emerging offshore wind industry.
The list of grant recipients and the funded projects are as follows:
- Keller Engineers of New Jersey, LLC, a small, minority-owned business located in Camden - Funding will support the launch of a new engineering division focused on the offshore wind industry.
- FCC Consulting Services, LLC, a small, minority-owned business located in Trenton - Funding will support an internet-based construction and monitoring system to capture and transmit live images of offshore wind projects for security and surveillance.
- Global One Partners, a small, women-owned business located in Red Bank - Funding will help train engineers, project managers and technicians in the offshore wind industry.
- C&C Supply Company, a small, women-owned business located in Woodbury - Funding will support the launch of a new division focusing on industrial and safety supplies in the offshore wind industry.
- Robinson Aerial Surveys, Inc., a small, minority-owned business located in Hackettstown - Funding will help the company upgrade its network of infrastructure digital platform to compete in the offshore wind industry.
- Technoforce, LLC, a small, women-owned business located in Randolph - Funding will support the recruitment, training and sustaining of a future workforce in the offshore wind industry through virtual classroom training.
“At Ørsted, we know that suppliers with local expertise are vital to our success. It’s exciting to see these New Jersey-based businesses have the opportunity to enter the offshore wind industry in its infancy and potentially support projects like Ocean Wind 1. We look forward to seeing them grow and thrive as the industry matures,” said Maddy Urbish, head of Government Affairs & Policy, NJ for Ørsted.
“New Jersey’s role in the developing offshore wind industry is growing and PSEG understands the significance of ensuring that the diverse and talented businesses of the state have an opportunity to participate and flourish in what will be a vast supply chain and ecosystem,” said PSEG Vice President for Offshore Wind, Lathrop Craig. “We’re thrilled to see the Pro-NJ Grantor Trust open the door to additional opportunities in the new and expanding offshore wind industry.”
Organizations and municipalities that meet the stated criteria will be invited to download the RFEOI and submit the required documentation for consideration. Once the EOIs are reviewed by the Trustees and members of the Advisory Committee, qualified applicants will be invited to submit formal proposals.
At Hofmann & Schweitzer, we will continue to update you on the status of where and when these excellent construction and maritime job opportunities in the wind energy development field will occur. We will be there for the needs of labor if disaster strikes you and your family.
