(70 ILCS 210/25.1) (from Ch. 85, par. 1245.1)

Sec. 25.1. (a) This Section applies to agreements described in Section 5(h) and contracts described in Section 5(j).

(b) When the Authority proposes to enter into a contract or agreement under this Section, the Authority shall give public notice soliciting proposals for the contract or agreement by publication at least twice in one or more daily newspapers in general circulation in the metropolitan area. The second notice shall be published not less than 10 days before the date on which the Authority expects to select the contractor. The notice shall include a general description of the nature of the contract or agreement which the Authority is seeking and the procedure by which a person or firm interested in the contract or agreement may make its proposal to the Authority for consideration for the contract or agreement.

A request for proposals must be extended to a sufficient number of prospective providers of the required services or prospective bidders to assure that public interest in competition is adequately served.

The provisions of this subsection (b) do not apply if:

(1) the Authority concludes that there is a single source of the expertise or knowledge required or that one person can clearly perform the required tasks more satisfactorily because of the person's prior work; however, this exemption shall be narrowly construed and applies only if a written report that details the reasons for the exemption is entered into the minutes of the Authority and the Chairman has authorized in writing contract negotiations with the single source; or

(2) the service is to be provided by or the agreement is with a State agency, a federal agency, a political subdivision of the State, or a corporation organized under the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986; or

(3) within 60 days of the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985, the Authority enters into a written contract for professional services of the same kind with any person providing such professional services as of such effective date.

A request for proposals must contain a description of the work to be performed under the contract and the terms under which the work is to be performed or a description of the terms of the agreement with respect to the use or occupancy of the grounds, buildings, or facilities. A request for proposals must contain that information necessary for a prospective contractor or bidder to submit a response or contain references to any information that cannot reasonably be included with the request. The request for proposals must provide a description of the factors that will be considered by the Authority when it evaluates the proposals received.

Nothing in this subsection limits the power of the Authority to use additional means that it may consider appropriate to notify prospective contractors or bidders that it proposes to enter into a contract or agreement.

(c) After the responses are submitted, the Authority shall evaluate them. Each proposal received must be evaluated using the same factors as those set out in the request for proposals.

Any person that submits a response to a request for proposals under this Section shall disclose in the response the name of each individual having a beneficial interest directly or indirectly of more than 7 1/2% in such person and, if such person is a corporation, the names of each of its officers and directors. The person shall notify the Board of any changes in its ownership or its officers or directors at the time such changes occur if the change occurs during the pendency of a proposal or a contract.

(d) All contracts and agreements under this Section, whether or not exempted hereunder, shall be authorized and approved by the Board and shall be set forth in a writing executed by the contractor and the Authority. No payment shall be made under this Section until a written contract or agreement shall be so authorized, approved and executed, provided that payments for professional services may be made without a written contract to persons providing such services to the Authority as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1985 for sixty days from such date.

(e) A copy of each contract or agreement (whether or not exempted hereunder) and the response, if any, to the request for proposals upon which the contract was awarded must be filed with the Secretary of the Authority and is required to be open for public inspection. The request for proposals and the name and address of each person who submitted a response to it must also accompany the filed copies.

(Source: P.A. 96-898, eff. 5-27-10.)