June 10, 2018

Mayor Emanuel To Launch Design Competition To Select Lead Architect For The O’Hare Terminal Expansion Project

Mayor's Press Office    312.744.3334

Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced that the City will launch a competition this month to challenge architects from Chicago and around the world to win the opportunity to design the historic O’Hare 21 Terminal Expansion Project at O’Hare International Airport.

“This is an opportunity to write the next chapter in Chicago’s legacy of architectural ingenuity, while sharing the iconic architecture and design Chicago is famous for with visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Mayor Emanuel. "When Chicago opened O’Hare 59 years ago, we positioned our great city at the heart of the national aviation system. Today, the city that makes no little plans is securing our position at the forefront of global cities for the 21st century."

The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for LEAD Architectural Design Services will be issued the week of June 18 by Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), through the Chicago Department of Procurement Services (DPS). A pre-submittal conference will follow on June 27, 2018.

“Under the leadership of Mayor Emanuel, we at DPS want to ensure that the opportunity for this critical O’Hare work is extended to as many firms as possible,” said Chief Procurement Officer Jamie L. Rhee, “We encourage competition in the marketplace and the innovative solutions that we expect will result from this search.”

The release of the RFQ is a significant step forward in the O’Hare 21 program.

“We are excited to launch this search for prominent architecture teams who can support our vision for a state-of-the-art Global Terminal, satellite concourses and a bigger and better O’Hare to serve our passengers,” said Ginger S. Evans, Commissioner of CDA. “We welcome proposals by firms in Chicago and from around the world to compete for the chance to chart the course for an unprecedented expansion at one of the world’s busiest airports.”

O'Hare 21 is Mayor Emanuel’s vision for a modern O’Hare. It calls for a dramatically elevated travel experience, better access and amenities for customers, capacity to accommodate today’s fast-growing commercial aviation industry, and builds the foundation to fuel Chicago’s leading international air connectivity for the future. The centerpiece of this program is the $8.7 billion terminal expansion plan for O’Hare, the largest in the airport’s history.

O’Hare 21 will create more than 60,000 construction jobs for the next eight years, and tens of thousands of new permanent jobs with the airport, airlines, tourism, and supporting industries to support a larger, modern airport complex in the next decade.

The City of Chicago will take concerted steps to ensure local residents and firms are on track to fill the positions needed to modernize O’Hare, which includes a comprehensive workforce development program to connect residents to jobs and ensure meaningful participation by MBE and WBE firms.

Please refer to the DPS website and CDA web alert system for up-to-date information. To view other bids with the City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services, go to:

www.cityofchicago.org/bids.

To view other bids with the City of Chicago Department of Aviation, go to: www.flychicago.com/business/opportunities/bidscontracts.

For more information on the Mayor’s vision for O’Hare 21, visit www.flychicago.com/sites/ohare21/home/Pages/default.aspx

 

 

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