Gary/Chicago International Airport announced last Wednesday it had received 10 proposals from firms and organizations representing the aviation, financial, real estate management and urban and environmental planning industries responding to the Request for Proposals it launched in July 2013.

The submission deadline was Aug. 26. A committee will make a recommendation to the board from among the 10 proposals.

These are the 10 firms that responded to a request for proposals from Gary/Chicago International Airport's public-private partnership ad hoc committee:

• ACO Investment Group Inc.
• Aviation Facilities Co. (AFCO)/AvPorts Management LLC (includes Guggenheim Partners and Loop Capital)
• The Arsh Group Inc.
• Financial Network Center LLC (includes Purify Solutions, IE2 and Visage 1 LLC)
• The GCIA Group LLC (includes NAI Hiffman, Clark Street Development, LCM Inc. and The Williams Capital Group)
• Metropolitan Planning Council
• MXD Development Strategists (includes KAI Design & Build)
• Renditions Studio
• Rice Financial Products Co.
• Z-Force Transportation Inc. (includes Illinois Bulk Carrier Inc.)

According to local sources, one of 10 firms that responded to the Gary/Chicago International Airport's public-private partnership request for proposals will be presented to the new Airport Authority Board at its inaugural meeting Sept. 9.

Carrie J. Hightman, leader of the Ad Hoc Committee, said:

"We are very pleased with the number of respondents and the breadth of their expertise."

If the board accepts the committee's choice of organization on Sept. 9, permission will be granted to start negotiations. The chosen organization will be expected to invest $100 million over the course of 15 to 25 years.

The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority approved on 22 July 2013 a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Development and Management of the Gary/Chicago International Airport and Related Assets to invest in the airport and the surrounding area through a potential public-private partnership.