Chicago is the anchor of one of the busiest public contracting regions in the Midwest. The City of Chicago, Cook County, the Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Public Schools, O’Hare and Midway airports, and the State of Illinois all buy goods and services year-round, and many of them set participation goals for minority-, women- and small businesses.
GERC helps Illinois businesses compete for that work. We do the registrations, prepare the certification files and write the proposals with you.
Where Illinois opportunities come from
- The City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services, which posts bids and certifies MBE and WBE firms.
- Cook County and sister agencies such as the CTA, CPS and the airports.
- The State of Illinois, which publishes solicitations through BidBuy.
- Federal agencies and primes across the Chicago metro area.
Hands-on support from GERC
- Illinois BidBuy registration
- City of Chicago and Cook County vendor registration
- Preparing MBE/WBE certification files and federal certifications such as WOSB, 8(a) and DBE
- SAM.gov registration for federal opportunities
- Capability statements and RFP responses
- Certified payroll and prevailing wage support for public works contractors
Why it pays to have someone do the work
Chicago-area solicitations often require detailed participation plans, affidavits and compliance documents. Getting these right is the difference between a responsive bid and a rejected one. We prepare and check every document so your bid is complete, on time and aligned with what the agency asked for.
How we work
- Honest assessment of whether public contracting fits your business.
- We prepare and submit registrations, certifications and proposals.
- We stay with you until your registration or certification is approved, and through every bid until the award decision is in. That includes answering agency questions, handling resubmissions, renewals and compliance.
GERC is led by Dr. Shirley Ayangbah, a PhD legal and political economist, serving clients nationwide and worldwide. Visit our Chicago government contracting consultant page or book a strategy consultation.