CHSRA awards more than $17 million to small businesses in 2Q

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) awarded more than $17 million to small businesses during the second-quarter of the 2014-15 fiscal year, according to the agency's most recent "Small Business Participation and Jobs Report."

The authority executed nine new prime contracts for the quarter, including commitments from 21 certified small businesses, CHSRA officials said in a prepared statement.

In the Central Valley region, 65 small businesses are working on the project's first construction segment to build a high-speed rail line from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The authority has committed $307 million to those companies, officials said.

To date, 219 small businesses have committed to working on the project, with 67  certified as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and 32 certified as Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises.

Since July 2014, the authority has used small businesses for 27 percent of its contracts, and aims to increase that figure to 30 percent, CHSRA officials said.