CDA awarded the 2019 Civil Rights Advocate and Partner Award for DBE/ACDBE Programs at O’Hare and Midway International Airports

CHICAGO, IL, 2019-Jul-19 — /Travel PR News/ — The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) was awarded the 2019 Civil Rights Advocate and Partner Award for DBE/ACDBE Programs at O’Hare and Midway International Airports.

The presentation was made to CDA representatives during the 10th annual Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Civil Rights Training conference for Airports in Arlington, Virginia on July 16, 2019..

To qualify for the award, airports must develop and implement innovative programs to build Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and/or Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) capacity, eliminate barriers to participation, significantly enhance outreach program, or develop an effective support system.  As a result, participation by DBEs/ACDBEs in contracting and/or concessions programs increase.

“On behalf of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, we are honored that the FAA has recognized the Chicago Department of Aviation for continuing to drive diversity and inclusion by locale, small and minority businesses at Chicago’s airports,” said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee. “The CDA has always made economic inclusion for all businesses and residents a top priority, because as a city, we have a responsibility to both award our contracts not only in accordance with the law, but in a way that guarantees a fair shot for all and greater participation by our small and minority firms.”

The Chicago Department of Aviation has implemented multiple initiatives to support and build its ACDBE program, participation and partner support through day-to-day communications, inclusion in its annual face-to-face concession meetings and with targeted-program initiatives. These include quarterly concession workshops with the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), ACDBE quarterly meetings, annual outreach events to inform small and minority-owned businesses about opportunities to do business with the airports and on-airport rental car companies.

These efforts, under Commissioner Rhee, helped the CDA welcome five new ACDBE entrants into the Concessions program at O’Hare and three at Midway.

The FY 2018 Rent-a-Car (RAC) ACDBE goals were set at 2.4% for each Airport, with O’Hare and Midway International Airports achieving 10.99% and 5.16%, respectively.  O’Hare exceeded the FY 2018 RAC ACDBE participation goal by 357.9% and Midway exceeded the FY 2018 RAC ACDBE goal by 115% as a direct result of hosting narrowly tailored outreach events. Non-Car Rental ACDBE participation for FY 2018 increased by 24.1% over the 37% goal for Midway and increased by 12.9% over the 30% goal for O’Hare.

Although the CDA exceeded the Car Rental ACDBE goal for FY 2018, rental car procurement increases were not the only achievements by CDA for FY 2018 in ACDBE participation.

The FAA regulation suggests an annual goal of 10%.  MDW achieved 46% and ORD achieved 34% ACDBE participation for FY 2018. Participation rates at O’Hare generated nearly $166 million in sales. At Midway, the participation rates generated $53 million in sales.

Source: Chicago Department of Aviation

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