The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from car rental companies interested in entering into a Concession License and Lease Agreement at the O’Hare International Airport. The RFQ is for a consolidated rental car facility (conrac), which is expected to be completed in the year 2016. 

The conrac will be located at the site of the current Public Parking Lot F at O’Hare, just southeast of the intersection of N. Mannheim and Zemke Roads. The present facility concept contains approximately 4,100 equivalent rental vehicle parking stalls on three levels, with an adjacent quick-turn-around facility, according to the CDA.

The new facility will include a new Automated Transit System (“ATS”) station for use by rental car customers and other facility users traveling to and from the passenger terminals, as well as connections to other modes of public transportation.

The CDA notified potential respondents about the RFQ Sept. 27 through newspaper advertisements and a Web alert to thousands of subscribers and an announcement posted on the CDA’s website www.flychicago.com. Respondents have 60 days to submit responses to the RFQ. The RFQ is posted on the CDA website under Business Information/Contracting Opportunities. 

Qualified respondents whose bids are accepted by the CDA and are approved by the Chicago City Council will then be required to enter into a Concession Agreement for the space package awarded to it based upon its bid. The Concession Agreement is currently estimated to commence upon completion of the facility.

Qualified bidders will be invited to subsequently respond to a Request for Bids for a concession agreement to be awarded for rental car concessions at the facility.

Currently, there is an $8 concession fee paid by renters to help finance the conrac’s construction. While attempts have been made to increase that fee, according to Gregg Cunningham, coordinator of special projects for the CDA, the fee still stands at $8. He also said that the conrac is still in preliminary stages while the CDA continues to work out a “financing and implementation plan.”