CHICAGO — The Illinois Department of Transportation has launched an initiative to increase participation of minority- and women-owned companies in state contracts.

The agency is conducting workshops to provide information for small businesses, and a step-by-step guide to the state's contracting process.

Last year, IDOT awarded more than $344 million in contracts to minority- and women-owned firms. That's nearly 16 percent of the total contract awards that year and department officials would like to increase that.