BOWA Construction
BOWA Construction is a Chicago-based African American-owned general contractor and construction management firm delivering general contracting, CMAR, design-build, and program management services across aviation, healthcare, education, housing, and public-sector markets in the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BOWA Construction does
BOWA Construction is a Chicago-headquartered general contracting and construction management firm founded in 2009 by Nosa Ehimwenman, a former Gilbane Building Company senior manager. The firm is African American-owned and holds MBE and DBE certifications that provide a structural advantage on public and institutional projects with diversity participation goals. It delivers projects through General Contracting, Construction Management (including CMAR), Design-Build, Program Management, Project Management, and Rapid Response service lines, with project values ranging from approximately $500K to over $200M.
The firm serves a diversified set of market verticals — aviation, healthcare and hospitals, higher education, K-12 education, athletics and recreation, multi-unit and affordable housing, federal and public, mission critical/data centers, transportation, and retail/hospitality — with marquee engagements including the Obama Presidential Center Home Court, the O'Hare 21 joint venture with AECOM Hunt and Clayco, the O'Hare Northeast Cargo Campus Phase III, the Gately Indoor Track & Field Facility (with James McHugh Construction), and multiple Related Midwest developments. Its technology stack is built around standard industry platforms: Procore for project management and collaboration, On-Screen Takeoff and Interactive Cost Estimating for estimating, and Autodesk Assemble for BIM-to-estimate integration.
BOWA generates revenue primarily through project-based contracts secured via competitive bidding, RFPs, and long-term relationships with major developers, government agencies, healthcare systems, and institutional clients. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales, supported by an event-driven community engagement layer through the BOWA Gives philanthropic program. The firm operates from approximately ten offices across Chicago (HQ plus West Loop and Downtown), Columbus, Champaign, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Newark, Brooklyn, and Washington D.C., reflecting a multi-region U.S. footprint built primarily through organic regional expansion and the 2024 acquisition of Florida-based Verity Construction.
BOWA Construction firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BOWA Construction
- Legal name
- Bowa Construction
- Website
- https://bowaconstruction.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- BOWA Construction is a Chicago-based African American-owned general contractor and construction management firm delivering general contracting, CMAR, design-build, and program management services across aviation, healthcare, education, housing, and public-sector markets in the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BOWA Construction industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Services
- NAICS
- Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE), Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG), Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA), Airport Terminal & Aviation Facilities Building Construction (IMAFACAL)
Keywords
Where BOWA Construction is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
BOWA Construction business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- General Contracting Services: Traditional general contracting services where BOWA serves as the prime contractor responsible for delivering construction projects on time and within budget
- Construction Management (CMAR): Construction Management at Risk services where BOWA provides preconstruction planning, estimating, and construction oversight for clients including Related Midwest, Chicago Park District, and government agencies
- Design-Build: Integrated design and construction services under a single contract, managing both design and build phases
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Project-based pricing varies by market sector and project scope |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
BOWA Construction product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BOWA Construction is a general contracting and construction management firm that delivers construction projects across sectors including aviation, healthcare, higher education, K-12, multi-unit residential, federal and public, athletics and recreation, mission critical, retail and hospitality, and transportation. The firm offers General Contracting, Construction Management, Design-Build, Rapid Response, Program Management, and Project Management services, with individual projects ranging from $500K to over $200M and project values determined through competitive bidding and RFPs.
Product overview
BOWA Construction is a general contracting and construction management firm offering a portfolio of core construction services including General Contracting, Construction Management, Design & Build, Rapid Response, Program Management, and Project Management. The company serves diverse market sectors such as Aviation, Healthcare & Hospitals, Science & Technology, Retail & Hospitality, Higher Education, Multi-Unit/Affordable Housing, Commercial, High-Rise Residential, Transportation, Federal & Public, K-12 Education, Athletics & Recreation, Mission Critical, and Corporate Interiors. The company also provides conceptual estimating services and operates across multiple U.S. locations including Chicago (headquarters), Columbus, Champaign, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Newark, Brooklyn, and Washington.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- General Contracting Traditional general contracting services where BOWA serves as the prime contractor responsible for delivering construction projects on time and within budget, across aviation, healthcare, higher education, K-12, multi-unit residential, federal and public, and commercial sectors.
- Construction Management Professional construction management services (including Construction Management at Risk) providing preconstruction planning, estimating, and construction oversight for clients including Related Midwest, Chicago Park District, and government agencies.
- Design & Build Integrated design and construction services combining architectural design with construction execution under a single contract, managing both design and build phases.
- Rapid Response Emergency construction response services for urgent project needs, including specialized facilities like the McCormick Place Alternate Care Facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Program Management Comprehensive program management services for overseeing multiple related projects and coordinating across complex development portfolios.
- Project Management
Quantifiable outcome
- 55% MBE participation rate achieved on O'Hare Northeast Cargo Phase III project
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BOWA Construction
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
BOWA Construction technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
BOWA Construction partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- James McHugh Construction Co.coreJoint venture partnership for Gately Indoor Track & Field Facility ($53.67M). McHugh brought sports facility expertise while BOWA contributed local community connections. First hydraulically banked track in Illinois.
- Related MidwestcoreOngoing strategic partnership across multiple projects including 900 W Randolph (first Black co-led high-rise), The Row Fulton Market, Lathrop Homes, Roosevelt Square, and 400 Lake Shore Drive. Major Chicago developer.
- AECOM Hunt and Clayco Joint VenturecoreBOWA added to O'Hare 21 Project joint venture team providing construction management services for Chicago O'Hare International Airport's $8.5 billion transformation project. Brings diversity and aviation expertise.
- Moody NolancoreDesign partner for Home Court at Obama Presidential Center. Moody Nolan is the largest African American design firm in the US. Partnership consistent with Foundation's diversity goals.
- AECOM/HuntcorePart of Elevate Design Build team for Home Court at Obama Presidential Center alongside BOWA and Moody Nolan.
- LR Contracting CompanycoreCo-leading construction of 900 W Randolph high-rise project. LR Contracting is the in-house contracting division of Related Midwest.
- Blackwood GroupminorLatinx-owned firm led by Jose Duarte, part of the 100% minority-led general contractor group for Roosevelt Square Phase 3B project.
- MIKKminorConstruction firm instrumental on Lathrop 1B development, part of minority-led GC team for Roosevelt Square Phase 3B.
- GMA ConstructionminorBlack-owned MBE leading work on Roosevelt Square Phase 3B National Public Housing Museum building rehabilitation.
- Verity ConstructioncoreFlorida-based general contractor acquired by BOWA, expanding footprint into Southeast and South Florida markets. Brings local market expertise and relationships.
- RealtermcoreDeveloper of O'Hare Northeast Cargo Campus. BOWA led construction team for Phase III, the first major cargo facility at O'Hare built by an African American-led construction team.
- d'EscotominorMBE firm partner with BOWA on O'Hare Northeast Cargo Phase III. Approximately 60% of primary construction contract with BOWA and d'Escoto as MBE firms.
- ClaycocorePart of AECOM Hunt-Clayco-BOWA joint venture for O'Hare 21 Project. One of nation's largest design-build firms.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BOWA Construction competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Walsh Construction: Major Chicago-based general contractor with a far larger book of public and institutional work; competes head-to-head with BOWA on Chicago Park District, City of Chicago, and aviation/healthcare projects.
- AECOM Hunt / Hunt Construction Group: National construction manager specializing in aviation, sports, and large institutional projects; BOWA's JV partner on O'Hare 21 and Home Court, and a direct competitor on mega-projects.
- Clark Construction Group: One of the largest U.S. commercial contractors and a JV partner on the WMATA project; competes for large institutional, federal, and transit work in the Mid-Atlantic where BOWA is expanding.
- Pepper Construction: Major Midwest-focused general contractor with significantly larger headcount; competes for healthcare, higher education, and aviation construction work across the same Chicago/regional footprint.
- Gilbane Building Company: National nonresidential construction manager and general contractor; the former employer of BOWA's CEO and SVP, and the most direct comparison in terms of service mix and project types.
- Turner Construction Company: Largest domestic general contractor by revenue; competing for BOWA's healthcare, higher education, and aviation projects nationally and setting the benchmark for national-prime scale.
Direct peers
- McHugh Construction: Chicago-based general contractor with comparable nonresidential construction portfolio; BOWA's JV partner on the Gately Indoor Track & Field Facility, making them one of the closest operational peers in scale and geography.
- Boldt Company: Privately held Midwest-based general contractor with comparable project types (industrial, healthcare, education) and similar private ownership structure; a useful benchmark for valuation comparables.
- W.E. O'Neil Construction: Mid-sized private general contractor with strong Chicago roots and national expansion; comparable in size, ownership model, and project mix (commercial, healthcare, education, multifamily).
- Power Construction: Chicago-based general contractor and construction manager; competing for institutional, healthcare, and commercial projects in the same Chicago metro market as BOWA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BOWA Construction social profiles
Digital presenceBOWA Construction compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
BOWA Construction financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BOWA Construction leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
BOWA Construction funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BOWA Construction M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BOWA Construction
What does BOWA Construction do?
BOWA Construction is a general contracting and construction management firm that delivers construction projects across sectors including aviation, healthcare, higher education, K-12, multi-unit residential, federal and public, athletics and recreation, mission critical, retail and hospitality, and transportation. The firm offers General Contracting, Construction Management, Design-Build, Rapid Response, Program Management, and Project Management services, with individual projects ranging from $500K to over $200M and project values determined through competitive bidding and RFPs.
Is BOWA Construction a public or private company?
BOWA Construction is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BOWA Construction founded?
BOWA Construction was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is BOWA Construction based?
BOWA Construction is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does BOWA Construction make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. General Contracting Services are the primary driver. The others are construction Management (CMAR) and design-Build.
Who are BOWA Construction's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Walsh Construction, AECOM Hunt / Hunt Construction Group, Clark Construction Group, Pepper Construction, Gilbane Building Company and Turner Construction Company. Direct peers are McHugh Construction, Boldt Company, W.E. O'Neil Construction and Power Construction.
Does BOWA Construction have an API?
No public API is recorded for BOWA Construction.
What industry is BOWA Construction in?
BOWA Construction's product category is Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAAAA, Commercial General Contracting (New Build), with a secondary code of EUANALAE, Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight). Its NAICS code is 23622 and its SIC code is 1540.