Section 500.420  Prequalification

a)         General

1)         The CPO shall identify by publication in the Auditor General Bulletin the categories of supplies and services (including professional and artistic services) for which the OAG may prequalify vendors of those supplies and services.  The OAG is not required to prequalify vendors but may do so when determination of a vendor's qualifications prior to procurement would be advantageous to the OAG.

2)         An opportunity to prequalify shall be allowed at least one time each fiscal year.  The opportunity to prequalify shall be announced in the Auditor General Bulletin.

3)         When prequalifying a vendor, the Procurement Officer may limit prequalifications to determining whether a vendor has been and is likely to be "responsible" using the criteria set forth in Section 500.430 of this Part. The fact that a prospective vendor has been prequalified does not necessarily represent a finding of responsibility for a particular procurement.

4)         When prequalifying a vendor, the Procurement Officer may consider factors tailored to a specific procurement or type of procurement, which shall be announced in the Auditor General Bulletin.

5)         Except as provided in Section 500.320(e), prequalification shall not be used to bar or prevent any qualified business or person from bidding or responding to invitations for bid or requests for proposal.

b)         Professional and Artistic Services

Any prequalification of vendors of professional and artistic services:

1)         shall include, at a minimum, a specified level of:

A)        education;

B)        training;

C)        experience; and

D)        technical ability; and

2)         may require certification or licensure, or membership in professional associations.

c)         Qualified Products List

Qualified products lists are treated in Section 500.600 (Specifications) of this Part.

(Source:  Amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 5307, effective April 1, 2011)