DuPage County committee approves $96,000 contract with Lincoln Park Group for federal lobbying

The DuPage County Legislative Committee voted Tuesday to approve a one-year professional services contract with Lincoln Park Group LLC to represent the county before the U.S. Congress and the federal executive branch for county departments, including transportation, public works and stormwater management. The contract runs from Feb. 1, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2027, and is not to exceed $96,000.

Chair Desart moved the contract recommendation, which the committee approved by voice vote after a presentation and Q&A with Riley O'Connor, a principal of Lincoln Park Group. O'Connor described his firm's work identifying competitive federal funding projects, building earmark requests and navigating appropriations processes for clients in the Chicago-area delegation and nationally.

"When it comes to federal funding projects, it's kind of a pass-fail system," O'Connor said, explaining metrics he uses to show success: whether a project makes a member's earmark list, whether committees include it, and at what funding level a selected project is funded. He cited two recent local examples: one request that was fully funded at the level asked ($240,000) and another that cleared initial lists but did not secure final committee funding.

Committee members questioned O'Connor about his relationships with members of Congress who represent DuPage-area districts and about how the county will measure the consultant's performance. O'Connor said his firm regularly works with several members and staff in the Illinois delegation and that earmark success can be measured by list inclusion, committee selection and final appropriation levels.

The chair said staff will notify O'Connor about next steps and that the committee would forward the contract for board consideration in two weeks.

No roll-call vote tally was recorded in the meeting transcript; the committee approved the motion by voice vote.