Section 2600.400  Suppliers

a)         SBEL may contract with any qualified source of supply not limited to those found to be qualified by CMS pursuant to 44 Ill. Adm. Code 1.2045.

b)         Special Sources

1)         Prior to any equipment procurement, SBEL may consider property available from the State and Federal Surplus Warehouses, which are under the jurisdiction of CMS.  The State Property Control Act [30 ILCS 605/7a] requires that surplus furniture be considered before any purchase of new furniture valued at $500 or more per piece.  SBEL may use any prequalified bidder list maintained by CMS and avail itself of the standards for qualification found at 44 Ill. Adm. Code 1.2045 and 1.2046.

2)         Various supplies and services are available from qualified workshops for the disabled and procurement from these workshops is encouraged.  Notice and competition is not required pursuant to Section 45-35 of the Code.

3)         Various supplies and services are available from State agencies and other governmental units.  These may be procured without notice and competition.

            c)         Prequalification

1)         The CPO shall determine any categories of services for which he or she deems prequalification to be in the best interests of the agency and shall allow for a prequalification period once per year.  Notice of the prequalification period shall be announced in the Procurement Bulletin and shall alert vendors that they must take part in the prequalification period in order to be eligible for future procurements.

2)         The prequalification may be used for a specific procurement or type of procurement, and it may include any factors the CPO deems to aid in the determination of whether a vendor is likely to be "responsible" or otherwise qualified to undertake the procurement.

                        3)         Except in the case of professional and artistic services, distribution of and responses to the solicitation may be limited to prequalified vendors and award of a contract may be denied because a vendor was not prequalified.  If eligibility for the procurement will be limited to prequalified vendors, the Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposals or other procurement request shall state that fact.

                        4)         Any prequalification of vendors of professional and artistic services shall include, at a minimum, a specified level of education, experience, and technical ability, and may require certification or licensure or membership in professional associations.