The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has announced a major contracting opportunity that stands to make history — not just for its scale, but for its commitment to sustainability, community inclusion, and equitable economic opportunity across the construction sector.

The project, officially titled Contract 21‑092‑3P: Battery E Activated Sludge Facility at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, represents the largest contract in MWRD’s history, with an estimated value between $308 million and $373 million.

This effort is part of MWRD’s long-term investment in clean water infrastructure — enhancing wastewater treatment capacity, improving environmental outcomes, and supporting green practices that align directly with our shared mission of advancing sustainability in construction.

 

Why This Project Matters

MWRD’s O’Brien Plant serves as a cornerstone of the Chicago region’s wastewater management system. This expansion — Battery E of the Activated Sludge Facility — will modernize treatment processes and increase the plant’s efficiency and resilience. It’s a critical infrastructure project for the future of environmental stewardship, public health, and regional resilience.

But what makes this project particularly noteworthy is that MWRD has embedded strong inclusion and participation goals for diverse contractors and subcontractors.

 

Commitment to Diverse Participation

MWRD’s goals for this contract are both ambitious and commendable:

• 20% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)

• 10% Women Business Enterprise (WBE)

• 3% Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE)

These targets reflect a proactive commitment to ensuring that underrepresented business owners play a meaningful role in shaping Chicago’s sustainable infrastructure. By setting these diversity goals, MWRD reinforces the principle that economic opportunity should grow alongside environmental progress.

For our Diversity in Construction Ambassadors, this is an ideal opportunity to help connect qualified firms within your networks to one of the most significant public projects in the region — advancing equity where it truly matters.

 

Opportunities for Engagement and Learning

MWRD has designed several virtual sessions so that both large and small businesses can learn, collaborate, and prepare effective bids.

Event	Date & Time (CST)	Platform
Site Walk-Through (Optional)	Thursday, Oct 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM	In person
Technical Pre-Bid Meeting	Friday, Oct 3, 2025 at 10:00 AM	Zoom
Small Business Informational Session	Friday, Oct 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM	Zoom
Bid Due Date	Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025 by 11:00 AM	Electronic submission only

 

All interested businesses are encouraged to register for these virtual sessions to gain insight from MWRD’s Engineering Department and Diversity Office.

You can join the meetings via Zoom or Microsoft Teams:

• Zoom Link: Join Zoom Meeting
  Meeting ID: 823 2617 4676
  Meeting Registration

• Teams Link: Join Teams Meeting
  Meeting ID: 221 503 274 137 6 | Passcode: tY7MM9ah
  Dial‑in: +1 872‑242‑7899, 20731405#
  Find a local number

 

Environmental and Social Impact

This project embodies what we, as sustainability advocates, champion:

• Implementation of energy‑efficient and low‑emission processes in wastewater treatment

• Reinforced climate resilience through greater plant capacity and reliability

• Promotion of inclusive growth that empowers local and diverse contractors

By engaging with MWRD on this initiative, ambassadors can help highlight the intersection of green infrastructure and social equity — two essential pillars of a just transition to sustainable construction.

 

How You Can Get Involved

✅ Spread the word — Share this opportunity through your networks to ensure that qualified minority, women, and veteran‑owned firms can participate.
✅ Attend the virtual sessions — Learn directly from MWRD leaders about project scope, bidding logistics, and partnership opportunities.
✅ Encourage sustainability best practices — Help prospective bidders apply innovation in water conservation, materials use, and energy performance.
✅ Champion inclusion — Advocate for subcontractor diversity and fair participation at every stage.

 

Contact for Questions

• Technical or Scope‑Related Questions: Submit via the District’s online Q&A system (linked in the official Invitation to Bid) no later than one week before the bid deadline.

• Diversity Program or Participation Questions:
  Desirée Foster, Diversity Officer
  📧 fosterd@mwrd.org

 

 

Find more information on the project on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) website.

Documents with further information can be found here.