Section 6.220  Consideration of Bids

a)         After the bids are opened and recorded, the bids will be reviewed for responsiveness to the Invitation for Bids, conformity with all requirements prescribed in this Part, and satisfactory evidence of compliance.  If unit prices are required, the bids will be compared on the basis of the summation of the products of the quantities shown in the bid schedule by the unit bid prices.

b)         The right is reserved by the Department to reject any or all bids, to waive minor informalities or technicalities, to advertise for new bids, or to request confirmation or clarification from any bidder regarding information contained in a bid.

c)         Reasons for rejection of all bids include but are not limited to:

1)         The object of the contract being procured is no longer required.

2)         The contract provisions require amendment.

3)         The solicitation did not provide for consideration of all factors of significance to the Department.

4)         The bid prices exceed available funds or the bid prices exceed the anticipated estimate of costs to the extent that, in the judgment of the Department, prices are unreasonable.

5)         Evidence of collusion among bidders.

6)         Actions or events beyond the control of the Department, such as strikes, acts of God, material shortages, acts of the public enemy or litigation, would have an adverse effect on the completion of the anticipated contract.

d)         Reasons for rejection of any individual bids include but are not limited to:

1)         More than one bid for the same contract item from a bidder under the same or different names.

2)         Evidence of collusion among bidders.

3)         Unbalanced bids in which the bid prices for some items are, in the judgment of the Department, out of proportion to the bid prices for other items.

4)         If the bid does not contain a unit price for each pay item listed, except in the case of authorized alternate pay items or lump sum pay items.

5)         If the bid form is other than that furnished or authorized by the Department, or if the form is altered or any part of the form is detached.

6)         If there are omissions, erasures, alterations, unauthorized additions, conditional or alternate bids, or irregularities of any kind that may tend, in the judgment of the Department, to make the bid incomplete, indefinite, or ambiguous as to its meaning.

7)         If the bidder adds any provisions reserving the right to accept or reject an award, or to enter into a contract pursuant to an award.

8)         If the bid is not accompanied by the proper bid bond or substitute guaranty.

9)         If the bid is prepared in any manner other than as indicated in this Part or the Invitation for Bids making the bid not responsive.

10)         If the bidder failed to incorporate relevant addenda or revisions.

11)         Failure to submit a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) utilization plan in accordance with any special provisions, special notices, or bid documents.

(Source:  Amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 6222, effective April 8, 2020)