January 17, 2025 Letting 12:00 PM
Invitation for Bids

1. LETTING DUE DATE AND TIME FOR SUBMISSION AND OPENING OF BIDS. The Department of Transportation is requesting bids from responsible contractors to fill the State’s needs as described in this invitation. Bids are to be submitted to the electronic bidding system (iCX – Integrated Contractors Exchange). All bids and bidding documents are to be received prior to 12:00 PM prevailing local time, January 17, 2025, at which time the bids will be publicly opened. The iCX system cannot accept bids after 12:00 PM. Electronically submitted bids for a Joint Venture must include the signed and uploaded Proposal Signature Sheet. An electronically submitted bid for a Joint Venture missing the signed Proposal Signature Sheet will be rejected by the department as being non-responsive.
   
   The department or the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for the Illinois Department of Transportation reserve the right to postpone the bid opening in the event of circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the department, such as but not limited to a cataclysmic event or extraordinary conditions of weather. If the department or CPO postpones the bid opening, the department will take all reasonable steps to notify potential bidders. All subscribers to the Electronic Subscription Service/Contractors Packet will be notified first, when possible.
   
   
2. RULES GOVERNING LETTING. This letting is subject to and governed by the rules of the Department adopted at 44 Illinois Administrative Code Part 650 and Part 6, and by the provisions of this invitation. Copies of the rules are available by contacting the address of the Chief Contracts Official as noted on the Letting and Bidding home page.
   
   
3. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS. Read the following instructions carefully before submitting any bid. Failure to follow these instructions and the rules may result in the rejection of your bid. The Department reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive minor or immaterial irregularities, informalities or technicalities, to advertise for new bids, or to request confirmation or clarification from any bidder regarding a bid.
   
   
   1. CONTRACT ITEM DESCRIPTIONS. A summary description of each contract item advertised in this invitation is provided on the Contract Detail page for each contract. A contract number appears after the item number. The contract number will also be shown on the contract documents for the contract that the item number represents. The summary description provided for the proposed work, quantities and time for completion for each item are for information only and are subject to the terms published in the contract documents for bidding.
      
      
   2. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS FOR BIDDING. Contract documents for bidding include a Notice to Bidders, Specifications, Proposal, and a set of Plan documents. These documents may be separate or combined into one document. Contract documents for bidding applicable to each item number advertised in this invitation may be examined at the address of the Chief Contracts Official as noted on the Letting and Bidding home page. In addition, contract documents for bidding highway work may be examined at the respective District Offices in which the prospective work is located. The names and addresses of the District Engineers are available here. Contract documents for bidding will not be loaned to prospective bidders. Electronic plans and special provisions may be downloaded from the Department’s Website.
      
      
   3. PREQUALIFICATION. Any contractor desiring to submit a bid shall be prequalified in accordance with the rules of the Department, adopted at 44 Illinois Administrative Code Section 650, prior to being granted authorization to bid. Prequalification may be waived for particular contract items. In such cases, the manner of determining bidder responsibility will be stated in the contract documents for bidding. Contractors who desire to become prequalified or to renew their prequalification for this letting must file with the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Construction, Room 322, 2300 South Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, Illinois 62764, a Contractor’s Statement of Experience and Financial Condition no later than 4:30 PM prevailing local time, December 27, 2024. A contractor will not be prequalified for this letting unless the statement is received before the time and day established.
      
      
   4. AUTHORIZATION TO BID. Contractors planning to submit a bid MUST request authorization to bid. Requests for authorization to bid must be received prior to 4:30 PM prevailing local time, January 14, 2025 , at the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Construction, Room 322, 2300 South Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, Illinois 62764. The "Request for Authorization to Bid/or Not For Bid Status" (BDE 124) can be downloaded from the Department’s Website.
      
      
   5. AFFIDAVIT OF AVAILABILITY. In addition to the authorization to bid, prospective bidders shall submit an Affidavit of Availability prior to 4:30 PM prevailing local time, January 14, 2025 . The Affidavit must include all uncompleted contracts awarded to them and all low bids pending award for all public and private work using the prescribed format. The sworn statement relative to contracts and pending awards must be in complete detail, be properly signed and be notarized. Facsimiles of the sworn statement will be accepted for analysis, but Authorization to Bid will be issued only upon receipt of a signed and properly completed original Affidavit of Availability. Any omission or misstatement of fact in the sworn statement will be considered as sufficient grounds for the disqualification of the bidder and the rejection of bids. Prospective bidders shall notify the Department within two working days of any low bids pending award or contracts awarded which might occur between the date of submission of the sworn statement and the date of letting. The Affidavit of Availability (BC 57) can be downloaded from the Department’s Website.
      
      
   6. BID BONDS. Unless otherwise indicated, a proposal guaranty is required by bid bonds, cashier’s check or properly certified check for not less than 5 (five) percent of the bid amount.  If the proposal is accepted and the bidder is declared “not responsive,” it is hereby agreed that the amount of the proposal guaranty will become the property of the State of Illinois and shall be considered as payment of damages due to the delay and other causes suffered by the State because of the failure to adhere to the procedures required. Otherwise, the bid bond will become void or the proposal guaranty check will be returned to the bidder.
      
      
   7. JOINT VENTURES. Prequalified contractors desiring to bid as a joint venture must submit the properly completed documentation no later than 4:30 PM prevailing local time, January 10, 2025 . The required forms for the joint venture are:
      
      
      • “Affidavit of Availability” (BC 57) from each of the joint venture entities,
      • “Certificate of Joint Venture” (BC 2267),
      • “Request for Authorization to Bid/or Not for Bid Status” (BDE 124).
        
        
      The Certificate of Joint Venture and the Request for Authorization to Bid/or Not for Bid Status forms must be in the name of the Joint Venture. The original, signed and notarized Certificate of Joint Venture and Affidavits of Availability must be received before consideration will be given for the Joint Venture request.
      
      
   8. EXAMINATION OF CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND SITE OF THE WORK. The bidder shall, before submitting a bid on any contract item, carefully examine the provisions of the contract documents for bidding and all contract documents referenced therein that comprise the contract as defined in Article 101.09 of the Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction. The bidder shall inspect in detail the site of the proposed work, investigate and become familiar with all the local conditions affecting the contract and the detailed requirements for construction.
      
      If the Department has made a sub-surface examination of the site of the work, the borings, test pits, or other information pertaining thereto are available for examination by all bidders by written request to the office of the District Engineer of the district in which the work is to be performed. The availability of subsurface information from the Department is solely for the convenience and information of the bidder and shall not relieve the bidder of the duty to make, and the risk of making, examinations and investigations as required to assess conditions affecting the work. Any data furnished in the contract plans is for information only and does not constitute a part of the contract. The Department makes no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the information conveyed or as to any interpretations made from the data.
      
      Microstation and Geopak files for the projects advertised in this invitation may be available on the department’s website. The availability of these files is solely for the convenience and information of the contractor and shall not relieve the contractor from performing the work in conformance with the contract and the lines, grades, cross sections, dimensions, and material requirements, including tolerances, shown on the plans or indicated in the contract documents. Any data furnished is for information only and does not constitute a part of the contract. The Department makes no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the information conveyed or as to any interpretations made from the data.
      
      Submission of a bid shall be a conclusive assurance and warranty the bidder has made these examinations and the bidder understands all requirements for the performance of the work. If the bid is accepted, the bidder will be responsible for all errors in the proposal resulting from a failure or neglect to comply with these instructions. The Department will not be responsible for any costs, expenses, losses, or change in anticipated profits resulting from such failure or neglect of the bidder to make these examinations.
      
      The bidder shall take no advantage of any error or omission in the proposal and advertised contract. Any prospective bidder, who desires an explanation or interpretation of the plans, specifications, or any of the contract documents, shall request such in writing from the Central Bureau of Design and Environment at the address of the Chief Contracts Official as noted on the Letting and Bidding home page. The request should be made in sufficient time to allow a written reply by the Department that can reach all prospective bidders before submission of their bids. Any reply given a prospective bidder concerning any of the contract documents, plans, and specifications will be furnished to all prospective bidders in the form determined by the Department including, but not limited to, an addendum, if the information is deemed by the Department to be necessary in submitting bids or if the Department concludes the information would aid competition. Oral explanations, interpretations, or instructions given before the submission of bids unless at a pre-bid conference will not be binding on the Department.
      
      
   9. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS. The Notice to Bidders, Specifications, and Proposal for each contract item includes specific and additional information and instructions pertaining to submission of bids. That information should be carefully read and the instructions followed by the bidder.
      
      
4. IMPORTANT DATES FOR BIDDERS. All due dates published in this invitation are summarized for convenient reference by potential bidders on the page entitled “Important Dates for Bidders”. Bidders are cautioned that all due dates are strictly enforced.
   
   
5. PART OF THE CONTRACT. This invitation is made part of the contract by operation of Article 101.09 of the Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.
   
   

This invitation issued under authority of the Department of Transportation, State of Illinois.

Gia Biagi
Acting Secretary of Transportation