The CTA operates Chicago's elevated rail and bus system, the second-largest in the United States. Its capital program includes $3B+ in infrastructure upgrades, making it a major buyer of construction, engineering, and IT services.
Chicago Transit Authority 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 Transit Authority is an active buyer in the following categories. These represent the highest-volume procurement areas based on historical award data.
The contractors who win CTA 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 at transitchicago.com/business for CTA vendor opportunities
Get CTA DBE certification for federally funded contract preferences
Contact the CTA Department of Diversity and Civil Rights for DBE outreach
Attend CTA industry days for capital program presentations
Monitor CTA's procurement portal for active solicitations
These NAICS codes represent the highest-volume procurement categories at Chicago Transit Authority. Register these codes in your SAM.gov profile to appear in agency vendor searches.
CTA vendor portal + DBE certification. Ensure your SAM.gov registration is active and includes the NAICS codes that match Chicago Transit Authority's primary procurement categories before reaching out directly.
Chicago Transit Authority awards 35% of eligible contract dollars to small businesses. All applicable SBA certifications are recognized.
Chicago Transit Authority spends approximately $1B+ annually on contracts. The total agency budget is $2B+, with procurement representing the contract-deliverable portion of that spending.
Monitor SAM.gov and filter by Chicago Transit Authority 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 CTA solicitation against your ICP profile and delivering WhatsApp alerts for high-match opportunities.