DBE firm Fariba Nation Consulting (FNC) is providing Systems Integrations services on the Project. They are tasked with integrating various kinds of systems including providing power to the trains and creating a signal system that keeps the trains on schedule. There are many intricate details that must work in concert so that, when operational, Purple Line passengers can easily travel to their final destinations.

Staying on schedule is incredibly important with a design/build project like this. The biggest challenge FNC faces is coordinating with multiple disciplines to ensure that deadlines are met and milestones completed on time. Fortunately, FNC welcomes the challenge! The firm is dedicated to excellence, service and innovation and prides itself on seamlessly partnering with clients to achieve project goals.

STV Incorporated (STV) is the lead engineering firm on the project and FNC is a second tier subcontractor for them. In addition, FNC has the distinction of being one of only two "Protege" DBE firms on the design team. STV provides its proteges with specialized mentoring services aimed at helping these firms increase their capacity and capabilities.

FNC is also a local small business. Fariba Nation, the Founder and President of FNC, told us that she is excited to work in her hometown and be part of a project with Metro. It was incredibly rewarding, she said, "when I realized that we are part of this transformational project that will forever change the way people commute in Los Angeles." She definitely looks forward to riding the new Purple Line Extension when it opens!

Karl Percell II moved to Los Angeles from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, to attend the University of Southern California. After earning his degree in civil engineering, Karl saw all of the major projects going on in the area and decided to stay in town to pursue these opportunities. While working at Metro's Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, Karl met a project manager named Kit Wong and the two discovered that they had a shared ambition to start their own company.

So they did. Soon after founding Supplymates, Karl and Kit attended one of Metro's Meet the Primes events, where they had the opportunity to introduce themselves to TPOG representatives. From there, the pair scheduled a follow-up meeting and were able to make their pitch. TPOG liked what they heard and the DBE-certified firm joined the Project with a mission to provide quality office supplies at the best possible price.

Like many commuters in Los Angeles, one of Supplymates' biggest challenges is dealing with traffic. (Hopefully, the Purple Line Extension will help alleviate some of the city's roadway congestion.) The company offers free next-day delivery for items stocked in their local warehouse, which means they have to plan their routes well. So far, not even L.A. traffic has kept them from fulfilling those orders on time.