Sole Source Leica Survey Equipment Maintenance and Repairs

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), through its Finance & Administration division, awarded a sole source contract to KARA CO., INC. on July 1, 2026, for maintenance and repair services on Leica surveying and Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment. The contract, valued at $194,046.61, runs for a one-year period ending June 30, 2027, with no renewal options. Services are to be performed across IDOT's nine District Survey Units and Construction Sections statewide, with KARA CO., INC. located in Countryside, Illinois. The contract encompasses hardware warranty coverage, firmware upgrades, software maintenance, network coverage, and repair services for all Leica-branded survey and GPS equipment utilized by IDOT's Survey Units and Construction Sections.

The sole source procurement was justified based on KARA CO., INC.'s exclusive geographic authorization agreement with Leica Geosystems, Inc., which designates the company as the sole authorized reseller and service center for Leica products in Illinois. The contract includes three line items totaling the stated contract amount: Item 1 at $131,266.61, Item 2 at $54,030.00, and Item 3 at $8,750.00. IDOT has maintained continuous sole source contracts with this vendor since fiscal year 2020, with the current award reflecting a ten percent discount based on existing departmental equipment. Discontinuation of this contract would prevent critical software and firmware updates, potentially resulting in equipment failure and jeopardizing IDOT operations and federal highway funding compliance.