Metro Detroit contractors and small businesses are staring at a major payday opportunity: the Wayne County Airport Authority is teeing up roughly $750 million in construction and concessions contracts at Detroit Metro Airport and Willow Run over the next two years, and it is kicking things off with a one-day outreach blitz on Feb. 23. The Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi will host the event, which is structured to walk firms through upcoming projects and the airport’s procurement maze. Organizers say the outreach is meant to connect local vendors, including small and disadvantaged businesses, with prime contractors and airport procurement staff so they are ready when the big bids land.
Wayne County Airport Authority Lays Out the Game Plan
According to a news release from the Wayne County Airport Authority, the Feb. 23 event will be split into two sessions: a 9 a.m. to noon block focused on construction projects and a 1 to 4 p.m. block highlighting concessionaire opportunities. Officials plan to walk attendees through solicitation timelines, bidding rules, award procedures, and contract management basics. The authority estimates that about $750 million in major contracting opportunities will be bid across DTW and Willow Run over the next two years. Registration is required and will remain open through Thursday, Feb. 19, the Wayne County Airport Authority notes.
Officials Preview What Is Coming Down the Runway
Victoria Inniss Edwards, the airport authority’s vice president of procurement, business development and contract compliance, previewed the outreach during an appearance on WDIV’s Local 4 Live, outlining a mix of airfield, landside, terminal and retail work slated for the authority’s 2026–27 project calendar. Local coverage has underscored the authority’s push to pull more homegrown firms into the bidding pipeline, rather than letting the same handful of big players scoop up the bulk of the work, per ClickOnDetroit.
Why Smaller and Disadvantaged Firms Are Watching Closely
Community outlets and business groups note that targeted outreach and clear procurement guidance can be a game-changer for DBE and ACDBE-certified firms that have historically struggled to break into large public projects. Coverage in the Michigan Chronicle reports that the event is designed to help those firms connect directly with prime contractors, understand certification requirements and position themselves to compete for multiyear contracts rather than one-off jobs.
How to Register and Show Up Ready
The Wayne County Airport Authority’s release directs interested businesses to an online registration portal for the Vibe Credit Union Showplace event and advises attendees to bring capability statements, licensing information and any certification documents they have. Firms that are not yet DBE or ACDBE certified are encouraged to seek certification through the Michigan Unified Certification Program and the authority’s Small Business Enterprise program, while the Detroit Regional Chamber offers guidance on navigating both procurement and certification processes.
For firms that can move fast, the Feb. 23 outreach session offers a concrete first step toward bidding on projects that could reshape parts of the airport campus and lock in multiyear revenue streams. Contractors and vendors looking to get in on the action are urged to register before the Feb. 19 deadline and arrive ready to network hard.
