LOS ANGELES — Like many small construction contractors, Christian Meza was interested in working on infrastructure projects in the region.
The owner of Liberty Rebar, which was founded in 2021 and is based in La Mirada, Meza wondered, “How do I manage a public project and prevent being fined by being out of compliance? Where do I begin?”
In late 2022, Meza, a Los Angeles native who grew up in Watts and continues to reside in South Los Angeles, attended a local small business academy, where he learned about the Los Angeles Regional Contractor Development and Bonding Program, which assists small and local contractors obtain bonding, financing and technical assistance. The program is administered by Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services, a Hub International company, on behalf of Los Angeles County, the city of Los Angeles and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Upon enrolling, Meza was assigned to a contractor development manager, who created a work plan and helped obtain a $750,000 bond line.
“I learned a lot in their workshops consisting of bidding and estimating as well as certified payroll,” Meza said.
In 2023, Liberty Rebar won its first government job, a $630,000 contract supplying and installing stainless steel rebar for work on a county project in Marina del Rey. After that, Liberty Rebar won a contract from the city of Los Angeles to work on the Central L.A. Recycling Transfer Station. The company also secured rebar work through the county sanitation districts, and is expected to start on other public works projects later this year.
“I am thankful for all that the [county] has done for me,” Meza said. The guidance “allowed me to access the system and positioned me for growth.”
“It is a privilege to share the trade with workers from my hometown,” he added.
