Child Care Services at MABB

The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to establish an eight-year long-term concessions contract with a qualified, licensed day care provider to operate the State of Illinois Child Development Center located at 160 N. LaSalle Street in the Michael A. Bilandic Building, Chicago, Illinois. The Center currently operates year-round, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and is licensed for 78 children ages 2–7 years old, occupying approximately 7,668 square feet of indoor space and 4,236 square feet of outdoor space. The selected vendor will assume full responsibility for all day-to-day operations, including curriculum development, staff management, equipment and supply procurement, and compliance with Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Rule 407 licensing standards. The vendor must charge state employee parents/guardians a base fee and non-state employee parents/guardians an additional $10 per child per week, with non-state employee fees remitted quarterly to CMS, and must maintain enrollment with at least 51 percent of children being offspring of state employees while remaining open to federal, city, county, and state government employees' children. Key qualifications require the Center Director to possess a four-year degree in early childhood education with current certifications in first aid, CPR, and the Heimlich maneuver, plus at least two years' experience managing a day care center of 50 or more children ages 2–7, with all staff meeting DCFS licensing standards. Evaluation criteria total 938 maximum points, comprising 625 points for technical requirements, 125 points for Commitment to Diversity (C2D), and 188 points for price; the vendor must provide proof of $1,000,000 comprehensive general liability insurance with broad CGL endorsement and $5,000,000 annual aggregate umbrella coverage, $1,000,000 vehicle liability insurance, and $5,000 individual accident insurance per child. A pre-submission conference and non-mandatory facility walk-through are scheduled for April 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Michael A. Bilandic Building Room N502; written questions are due no later than seven calendar days following the conference, with responses posted as amendments in BidBuy. Proposals must be submitted electronically through BidBuy by May 7, 2026.

The solicitation incorporates Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and Veteran Small Business Participation (VSBP) goals, with the C2D evaluation factor comprising six scoring categories: BEP goal compliance (5 points maximum), subcontracting or contracting with women, minority, and disabled-owned (WMD) businesses (10 points maximum), diversity and inclusion spending (20 points maximum), diversity and inclusion time allocation (20 points maximum), diversity and inclusion policies (10 points maximum), and diversity in staffing (35 points maximum). Vendors must complete Standard Illinois Certifications and submit either a standard Vendor Disclosure Form (Forms A) if not registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) or an IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure form if they maintain active IPG registration; all subcontractors with contracts exceeding $100,000 in annual value must also complete Standard Illinois Certifications and provide appropriate financial disclosure documentation. The solicitation requires compliance with numerous statutory provisions covering drug-free workplace requirements, environmental violations, bid rigging prevention, sexual harassment policies, collective bargaining obligations, cybersecurity directives, and prohibitions on political contributions. Vendors must maintain insurance coverage with the State named as an additionally insured party, retain books and records for three years from final payment (five years if federal funds are used), and indemnify and hold harmless the State from all claims, damages, and liabilities arising from vendor performance or breach. The monthly facility fee is fixed at $1,200, covering HVAC, janitorial, security, and utilities, with the total estimated award value dependent on parent/guardian fee schedules submitted by age group for each contract year; no specific total budget or award value range is disclosed in the RFP, as pricing is structured as estimated cost based on vendor proposals with parent fees and quarterly remittances of non-state employee fees to CMS.