Subcontractors met Tuesday night to compete to build the first phase of the high-speed rail in the Central Valley.
$1.5 billion has been set aside for the section of rail from Fresno to Madera with 30% of that money going to small businesses.
Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea says that means jobs: "So it's not only building high-speed rail for California to move people up and down the state, it's about putting people back to work."
The California High-Speed Rail Authority will make a decision on the bids in mid-September. The groundbreaking is expected next summer.
