In This Issue Job Creation at Quonset Port of Davisville on Twitter Local Firms Vie for Work on Quonset Stimulus Projects Road Project Funded by Stimulus Dollars to Get Underway Quonset's "Impressive" Record Lauded on Lean Nation Radio Quonset Kohl's Excels at Customer Satisfaction Business Park's Job Creation "Hot Topic" Steven King at League of Women Voters Presentation With the companies at Quonset Business Park already employing 8,800 people and generating millions in private investment, the West Bay League of Women Voters invited QDC Managing Director as its featured speaker for its Hot Topics Luncheon. King told the group in the last five years, Quonset has added over 2,700 new jobs and $142 million in private investment.   League President Marie Hennedy said the forum succeeded in educating citizens about the important issues in their community, like jobs and taxes. "I thank Marie and the League for the opportunity to engage them and their guests on the exciting growth and development activities at the Business Park," said QDC Managing Director Steven J. King, P.E. News About Quonset New England Real Estate Journal: Quonset Business Park awarded $22.3 million TIGER grant North East Independent: Grant to aid infrastructure The Port of Davisville is now on Twitter. Click here to follow. Local Firms Vie for Work on Quonset Stimulus Projects --- Dozens of Companies Respond to Request for Qualifications Some of the responses from firms interested in stimulus work at Quonset, funded by the recently awarded TIGER grant. Moving quickly to put the $22.3 million in TIGER grant stimulus funds to work, the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) recently published a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for firms interested in working on infrastructure improvements at the Quonset Business Park and the Port of Davisville.  Over 30 firms responded with Statements of Qualifications. The TIGER grant funds, made possible in part by the hard work of the state's Congressional delegation, will be used to support development of a wind energy hub and short sea shipping initiatives at the Business Park. Projects will include pier, rail, road and terminal improvements. Quonset was one of only 51 applicants out of over 1,400 from across the country to receive a federal TIGER grant. Road Project Funded by Stimulus Dollars to Get Underway in the Next Few Days --- Bridge Over Davisville Road and Port Rail Will Connect Gateway, Commerce Park Work will begin in April on a new road project that will construct a bridge over Davisville Road and the rail line that services the Port of Davisville.  When complete, the new bridge will connect the Gateway and Commerce Park districts of the Business Park, while improving rail safety and traffic efficiency. The project is funded in part by a $3.88 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) stimulus grant. This work will improve access to 156 acres of developable land in the Commerce Park District of the Park, land which can support an additional 998 jobs. Quonset's "Impressive" Record Lauded on "Lean Nation" Radio Program QDC's Managing Director Steven J. King, PE and Port Director Evan Matthews were featured guests on Lean Nation Radio recently to talk about job growth and economic development at the Business Park. "There's some really good work going on at Quonset," said Lean Nation host Karl Wadensten. People who hadn't been to Quonset in years would be very pleased to see the changes there, Wadensten continued, particularly in the road, rail and port areas. "You have some unbelievable infrastructure," he said about Quonset. Quonset Kohl's Excels at Customer Satisfaction The Kohl's department store that opened at the Quonset Gateway in October 2008 has been ranked 7th in the country for customer satisfaction throughout the chain. 100 new jobs have been created at the Gateway Kohl's since the opening 18 months ago. The store, which attracts customers from the surrounding community as well as from the Business Park's 168 companies, was the first retail tenant in the 72-acre Gateway.