What Engineering Resource Associates does

Engineering Resource Associates, Inc. (ERA) is a privately held, employee-owned civil engineering, structural design, environmental science, and surveying consulting firm founded in 1990 and headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois. The firm delivers project-based professional services — including transportation, water resources, municipal, structural, environmental, site development, parks and recreation, construction observation, surveying, GIS, and forensic investigation services — to municipalities, park districts, forest preserve districts, county agencies, state agencies, and select commercial and private clients across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. ERA has completed more than 8,300 projects over its 35-year history and currently operates with approximately 50 professionals across four offices (Warrenville, Chicago, Champaign, and Milwaukee).

The firm's service delivery is built on an integrated multi-discipline model that combines engineering design, environmental improvements, and aesthetic considerations within a single project workflow. Core technology consists of industry-standard design and analysis software — MicroStation, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, ArcGIS, EPA SWMM, XPSWMM 2D, HEC-RAS, Qualtrics, and IBM SPSS — interconnected to support GIS-based watershed delineation, hydraulic modeling, flood studies, public outreach surveys, and statistical analysis. Key differentiators include IDOT prequalification across 14 categories and Wisconsin DOT prequalification, a demonstrated track record securing over $3.2M in grant funding for clients, and multiple APWA project awards including the 2022 National APWA Project of the Year.

ERA operates on a professional services revenue model, billing clients through project-based consulting fees and on-call engineer arrangements. The firm relies on direct relationship-based sales rather than third-party channels or resellers, with client acquisition occurring through established municipal relationships, industry affiliations, and government prequalification status. Marketing is primarily organic via social media, industry events (including an annual Oktoberfest client appreciation event), and professional networks. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed, and the firm maintains no external investors, parent company, or PE sponsor; ownership transitioned internally to Jon Green as President in 2015.

Name

Engineering Resource Associates

Legal name

Engineering Resource Associates, Inc.

Website

https://eraconsultants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Engineering Resource Associates is a privately held civil engineering, structural design, environmental science, and surveying consulting firm founded in 1990, serving municipalities, park districts, and government agencies across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin with approximately 50 professionals across four offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering Consulting

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Civil engineering consulting
• Structural engineering services
• Land surveying services
• Stormwater management engineering
• Municipal infrastructure design

Headquarters

HQ city

Warrenville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: ERA generates revenue through project-based consulting fees for civil engineering, structural design, environmental science, and surveying services provided to municipalities, park districts, government agencies, and private entities throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Engineering Resource Associates (ERA) is a full-service civil engineering, structural design, environmental science, and surveying consulting firm providing planning, design, permitting, and construction observation services for public infrastructure, parks, water resources, transportation, and site development projects. The firm integrates engineering design, environmental improvements, and aesthetic considerations into a coordinated project approach and delivers services from Phase I feasibility through Phase III construction observation to municipalities, park districts, county and state agencies, and commercial developers across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Product overview

Engineering Resource Associates is a full-service civil engineering, structural design, environmental science, and surveying consulting firm. The company offers an integrated portfolio of engineering services organized by practice area: Transportation Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Municipal Engineering, Environmental Services, Site Development, Construction Services, Parks & Recreation Engineering, Structural Engineering, Surveying Services, Forensic Investigations, GIS, and Online Public Surveys. These services are delivered through project phases (Phase I feasibility through Phase III construction observation) for municipalities, park districts, forest preserve districts, county agencies, and state agencies across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transportation Engineering Services Planning and design engineering services for highways, local roads, and streets. Includes Phase I and II engineering processes, 3D technology using Bentley's Open Road Design, traffic studies, and signal design. Targets state DOTs, counties, and municipalities.
• Municipal Engineering Services Municipal design engineering including utility improvement plans, roadway resurfacing, ADA improvement plans, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and grant funding assistance for cities, villages, and towns.
• Structural Engineering Services Bridge and structural engineering including design of multi-span bridges, single-span bridges, culverts, retaining walls, and structural inspections. Capabilities expanded via acquisition of John Frauenhoffer & Associates.
• Water Resources Engineering Stormwater and flood plain technical expertise including hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for bridges, culverts, storm sewers, dams, control structures, and open channels, using EPA SWMM, XPSWMM 2D, and HEC-RAS.
• Site Development Services Full range of development, engineering, entitlement, and real estate services for residential and commercial land development projects, including grading, drainage, and stormwater management.
• Environmental Services Planning and design of environmental initiatives including wetland mitigation, native restoration, streambank restoration, and wetland impact statements with environmental assessments, delivered by Professional Wetland Scientists, Certified Arborists, and CPESC inspectors.
• Parks & Recreation Engineering Design and engineering for parks, trails, recreational facilities, and open space projects including environmental studies, trail design, and park master planning for park districts and forest preserve districts.
• Construction Services Construction observation services including on-site engineers and inspectors, shop drawing reviews, pay estimates, and IDOT CMMS documentation for projects across the firm's service lines.
• Surveying Services Full-service surveying including platting, topographic surveys, construction layout, ALTA surveys, floodplain certification, boundary surveys, and GPS/GIS services using state-of-the-art equipment.
• Forensic Investigations Investigation and evaluation of performance problems for materials, infrastructure, structures, and buildings, including expert witness testimony for property damage claims.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) GIS services for data visualization, watershed analysis, environmental engineering, and creation of professional exhibition maps using ArcGIS toolsets (ArcHydro, HEC-GeoHMS, HEC-GeoRAS, 3D Analyst, Spatial Analyst), plus QGIS support.
• Online Public Surveys Public survey implementation and statistical analysis services using platforms including Qualtrics for survey distribution and IBM SPSS for correlations, t-tests, and linear and logistic regressions on survey data.

Quantifiable outcome

• Secured $3.262 million in combined funding ($1.6M GIGO, $1.25M MWRD, $412K DCEO) for single stormwater project
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.

• Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERA is prequalified with IDOT in 14 categories including Special Studies (Traffic Studies, Feasibility), Special Services (Surveying, Construction Inspection), Highways - Roads and Streets, Hydraulic Reports (Pump Stations, Waterways), Structures (Highway Typical, Highway Simple), and Location Design Studies. This prequalification enables ERA to bid on and perform state transportation projects.
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERA has partnered with MWRD on multiple stormwater master plan projects including the Northbrook Flood Study pilot program. MWRD partnership funding contributed $1.25 million to the Springinsguth Stream Corridor Restoration project. ERA utilizes MWRD unsteady HEC-RAS modeling as a foundation for hydraulic analysis.
• DuPage County Stormwater ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERA works extensively with DuPage County on watershed planning and stormwater management projects. ERA secured $1 million in IEPA Section 319h funding and $300,000 in WQIP and ARPA funds for the Klein Creek watershed project through DuPage County partnership.
• Village of NorthbrookmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERA partnered with MWRD and Village of Northbrook on a Stormwater Management Master Plan pilot study involving watershed analysis, public outreach with over 1,000 participants, and identification of gray and green infrastructure improvements.
• John Frauenhoffer & Associates (Acquired)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerERA acquired John Frauenhoffer & Associates structural firm and opened a new office in Champaign, IL, expanding structural engineering capabilities and presence in central Illinois.
• Village of Carol StreammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERA partnered with Village of Carol Stream on Klein Creek Streambank Stabilization project addressing 7,400 linear feet of restoration along the watershed, securing EPA approval for inclusion in DuPage County's watershed plan addendum.
• Naperville Park DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERA has an ongoing partnership with Naperville Park District, providing Phase I and II engineering for Wolf's Crossing Community Park (33-acre development using OSLAD grant), and West Branch DuPage River Stabilization project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eraconsultants
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@eraconsultants
• Facebookfacebook.com/eraconsultants1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eraconsultants
• Instagraminstagram.com/eraconsultants1

Compliance21 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Engineering Resource Associates