SB1539 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 10657 RTM 20734 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1539

Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

70 ILCS 3615/3A.17.5 new

Amends the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Requires the Suburban Bus Board to adopt responsible bidding rules applicable to bids for contracts solicited for drivers, dispatchers, customer service aides, and reservationists. Requires a bidder to submit specified information before a bidder may be considered a responsible bidder. Provides that it is the sole responsibility of the bidder to comply with all submission requirements at the time it submits its bid to the Suburban Bus Board. Provides that upon designation by the Suburban Bus Board that a contractor's or subcontractor's submission in anticipation of a bid is complete and timely, and upon any further consideration deemed necessary by the Suburban Bus Board, the contractor or subcontractor may be prequalified for future contracts with the Suburban Bus Board. Provides that a contractor's classification as qualified shall exempt the contractor or sub-contractor from the submission requirements for a period of 12 months. Provides that contractors and subcontractors who are prequalified must submit a complete application for continuation of prequalified standing on a form provided by the Suburban Bus Board by December 31st for the upcoming calendar year. Provides that failure by any prequalified contractor or subcontractor to timely submit its complete application for continuation of prequalified standing shall result in automatic removal of the designation. Allows a contractor or subcontractor removed from prequalified status to still bid on Suburban Bus Board contracts.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Regional Transportation Authority Act is amended by adding Section 3A.17.5 as follows:

(70 ILCS 3615/3A.17.5 new)

Sec. 3A.17.5. Responsible bidding plan.

(a) The Suburban Bus Board shall adopt responsible bidding rules applicable to bids for contracts solicited for drivers, dispatchers, customer service aides, and reservationists.

(b) A bidder must submit the following information and supporting documentation verified under oath on a form designated by the Suburban Bus Board before the bidder may be considered a responsible bidder under the rules adopted by the Suburban Bus Board:

(1) A copy of the Illinois Secretary of State's Department of Business Services online records evidencing that the bidder has a current corporate annual report on file. This paragraph does not apply to a bidder who is an individual, sole proprietor, or partnership.

(2) Documents evidencing current registration with the Department of Revenue if the bidder has employees.

(3) Disclosure of any federal, state, or local tax liens or tax delinquencies against the contractor or any officers of the contractor in the last 5 years;

(4) A statement that all employees are covered under a current workers' compensation insurance policy and properly classified under such policy.

(5) A statement of compliance with all provisions of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act and all rules and regulations adopted under the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act for the past 5 years.

(6) Documents evidencing any professional or trade license required by law or local ordinance for any trade or specialty area in which the contractor is seeking a contract award.

(7) Evidence of participation in apprenticeship training programs applicable to the work to be performed on the project, which are approved by and registered with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship, or its successor organization.

(8) Certification that all employees expected to perform work on the project have completed a 10-hour or greater OSHA safety program.

(9) Disclosure of the name and address of each subcontractor from whom the contractor has accepted a bid or intends to hire on any part of the project.

(10) Statements as to past performance, which shall give an accurate and complete record of all contracts completed in the past 3 years by the contractor.

(11) Evidence that the bidder does not have any unremedied or unresolved violations of any applicable State, county, local, or federal labor laws, including a finding of merit for an unfair labor practice charge by any Region of the National Labor Relations Board.

(c) It is the sole responsibility of the bidder to comply with all submission requirements at the time it submits its bid to the Suburban Bus Board. Bidder submissions deemed inadequate or incomplete may result in a determination that the bidder is not a responsible bidder. The submission requirements also apply to all subcontractors, except that the successful bidder shall submit all subcontractor submissions to the Suburban Bus Board prior to the subcontractor commencing work on the project.

(d) Upon designation by the Suburban Bus Board that a contractor's or subcontractor's submission in anticipation of a bid is complete and timely, and upon any further consideration deemed necessary by the Suburban Bus Board, the contractor or subcontractor may be prequalified for future contracts with the Suburban Bus Board. A contractor's classification as qualified shall exempt the contractor or sub-contractor from the submission requirements contained in this Section for a period of 12 months. Contractors and subcontractors who are prequalified must submit a complete application for continuation of prequalified standing on a form provided by the Suburban Bus Board by December 31st for the upcoming calendar year. Failure by any prequalified contractor or subcontractor to timely submit its complete application for continuation of prequalified standing shall result in automatic removal of the designation, effective January 1st of the following year. However, the contractor or subcontractor removed from prequalified status shall still be permitted to bid on Suburban Bus Board contracts.