Chicago City Wire

Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) announced a significant concessions bid opportunity at O'Hare International Airport today. The initiative, one of the largest in U.S. airport history, includes more than 100 new concession locations in Terminals 1 and 3 as part of ongoing modernization efforts.

“Today’s announcement of the new concession contracts offers another opportunity for Chicago to invest in the diverse people and communities that make our city a premier travel destination,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “O’Hare is a welcoming jewel of Chicago, and together, we continue to prioritize new opportunities for that spirit to shine. We are creating additional space for Chicagoans from every neighborhood to operate businesses while at the same time offering world-class amenities to travelers.”

“Airport concessions offer opportunities to build generational wealth and create fantastic employment opportunities for Chicagoans of all ages,” CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee stated. “I want to encourage diverse firms of all sizes and backgrounds to participate in this competitive bid process and help us build the future of O’Hare with concessions that showcase the culture and hospitality of Chicago.”

The ORDerUp! RFP packages include 112 individual concession locations — 75 Food and Beverage, 34 Retail, and three Duty-Free locations — totaling over 146,000 square feet in Terminals 1 and 3. Ten percent of this space is reserved exclusively for small businesses, with additional incentives encouraging participation by small and diverse business owners.

The City has set an Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) participation target of 32% for these concession packages.

Key dates include an optional pre-proposal meeting on Monday, Sept. 30, at Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport with a virtual option available. A networking event will follow immediately after from 11 a.m. to noon on Sept. 30 at the same location. Registration for these events closes on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Prospective concessionaires can submit questions about the RFP until Friday, Nov. 8, with proposals due by Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.

Proposals will be evaluated based on criteria such as Experience and Qualifications; Concept Plan; Services and Capital Investment; Facility Design; Management; Operations; Customer Service Plan; Financial Compensation to the City. An evaluation committee selected by the Commissioner of Aviation will make selections.

New shops and restaurants chosen through ORDerUp! could open as early as 2027.

For full details on submitting bids visit flychicago.com/concessionsresources.

Last November saw over 550 attendees at an O’Hare Airport Concessions Symposium aimed at educating local entrepreneurs about upcoming opportunities at O'Hare Airport.

In February this year, another symposium focused on financing concessions businesses was held at O’Hare Hilton where business owners met banks interested in working with small enterprises.

In recent years, including last year’s approval by the Chicago City Council for Terminal 5 renovations which achieved a record ACDBE participation rate exceeding its goal at over forty percent have been made towards modernizing O'Hare under 'O’Hare21', transforming it into an efficient international gateway fit for contemporary needs.

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