A network of 16 private and public anchor institutions in Chicago, including hospitals, universities and city and county government, has struck $51.6 million in contracts with small local businesses, creating 180 new jobs in the process. The network is led by World Business Chicago, a non-profit public-private partnership chaired by the mayor. It uses a data- and demand-driven program to both analyse the procurement policies of the anchors and to identify which local businesses are equipped to provide for them. Those businesses come from a wide range of sectors, from professional services to construction and food provision.

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