TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 5, 2026
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. John P. Murray, Executive Director
Title
Authorization to amend Board Order of November 6,2025, regarding Authority to advertise Contract 25-RFP-21 Rebuild of Dewatering Facility, CWRP, estimated cost between $67,925,000.00 and $82,225,000.00, Accounts 401-50000-612450, 645650, and 645750, Requisition 1647436 Agenda Item No. 16, File No. 25-0826
Body
Dear Sir:
At the Board meeting of November 6, 2025, the Board of Commissioners duly ordered the stated action, Agenda Item No. 16, File No. 25-0826 Authority to Advertise Contract 25-RFP-21. The transmittal letter and resulting order indicated, “The individual goals for this contract are 20% MBE, 10% WBE, and 3% VBE”. The RFP was advertised on December 17, 2025. Proposals are due on April 24, 2026.
Authority is requested to amend Contract 25-RFP-21, Rebuild of Dewatering Facility, CWRP (RFP) to remove the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (MWRD) Appendices A, D, and V and to require compliance with the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program for the RFP’s Phase 2 construction work and post award professional engineering services (Phase 2 Work). The Board previously authorized MWRD to negotiate and enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with CTA allowing CTA to acquire certain real estate interests within the Calumet WRP and requiring CTA to reimburse MWRD $45,510,000.00 for its design and construction work at the Calumet WRP to accommodate CTA’s Project. CTA’s Project is partially funded by United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). This federal funding requires MWRD’s dewatering building project, both the reimbursed portion and the MWRD funded portion, to comply with USDOT rules and regulations.
USDOT requires all funding recipients to follow an established DBE Program. The RFP must therefore be amended to remove MWRD’s Appendices A, D, and V and to require proposers to comply with CTA’s DBE Program for the RFP’s Phase 2 Work.
The CTA’s DBE program is currently paused due to a required recertification process but is expected to be operational after March 31, 2026. Because the RFP is currently out for bid and there is no current approved DBE Program, the amended RFP will not require DBE participation for the Phase 1 design and preconstruction work but will require proposers to follow CTA’s DBE Program for the Phase 2 Work. If this amendment is approved, MWRD and CTA will work on a Memorandum of Understanding addressing the application and enforcement of CTA’s DBE Program to be brought to the Board at a future meeting.
Therefore, it is requested that the aforesaid Board order of November 6, 2025, be amended to affect the changes set forth above, otherwise to remain in force and effect as heretofore enacted.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, CAO:STM:nl
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Precious Brady-Davis, Chairperson, Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for March 5, 2026
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