The Chicago Department of Aviation operates O'Hare and Midway International Airports, spending $3B+ annually on the O'Hare 21 expansion program — one of the largest airport capital programs in the US. O'Hare 21 alone adds $8.5B in new terminals and airfield improvements.
Chicago Department of Aviation historically awards the following percentages of eligible contract dollars to small and disadvantaged businesses. These figures reflect agency performance against statutory goals and represent real contract opportunities for certified firms.
Chicago Department of Aviation is an active buyer in the following categories. These represent the highest-volume procurement areas based on historical award data.
The contractors who win CDA contracts consistently aren't just responding to solicitations — they're known quantities before the solicitation is published. Here's how to build that position.
Register as a CDA vendor through the Chicago vendor portal at chicago.gov/aviation
Apply for Chicago MBE, WBE, or SBE certification for O'Hare 21 set-aside preferences
Contact the CDA Business Diversity office for O'Hare 21 outreach events
Monitor O'Hare 21 solicitations at ohare21.com for active RFPs
Attend O'Hare 21 industry days — each major program package has dedicated outreach
These NAICS codes represent the highest-volume procurement categories at Chicago Department of Aviation. Register these codes in your SAM.gov profile to appear in agency vendor searches.
Chicago vendor portal + MBE/WBE/SBE certification. Ensure your SAM.gov registration is active and includes the NAICS codes that match Chicago Department of Aviation's primary procurement categories before reaching out directly.
Chicago Department of Aviation awards 35% of eligible contract dollars to small businesses. All applicable SBA certifications are recognized.
Chicago Department of Aviation spends approximately $2B+ annually on contracts. The total agency budget is $3B+, with procurement representing the contract-deliverable portion of that spending.
Monitor SAM.gov and filter by Chicago Department of Aviation as the contracting agency. Set up email notifications for your NAICS codes from this agency. BidEdgeHQ monitors SAM.gov and state portals in real time, scoring every CDA solicitation against your ICP profile and delivering WhatsApp alerts for high-match opportunities.