County-wide bottled drinking water

Cook County, Illinois, through its Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, is issuing a competitive sealed bid solicitation (IFB No. 2619-04150) for a countywide bottled drinking water and water cooler rental agreement. The procurement encompasses three primary product categories: 16.9-ounce bottled water in cases of 24, five-gallon bottled drinking water bottles, and five-gallon distilled water bottles, along with bottom-loading hot and cold water coolers without refrigerators. The coolers must meet specific technical requirements, including stainless steel cold water reservoirs, self-closing push-button faucets, child safety guards on hot water valves, and automatic thermostats maintaining water temperature near 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Deliveries must be completed within 72 hours of order placement under normal conditions and within two hours for emergency situations, with all deliveries made Monday through Friday to multiple Cook County departments and facilities throughout Chicago and surrounding municipalities, including the Clerk's Office, Sheriff's Department, State's Attorney Office, Social Services, Judiciary, and Medical Examiner's Office. All bottled water products must comply with FDA and EPA regulatory standards set forth in 21 CFR sections applicable to bottled water processing, labeling, and quality standards. The contractor must provide monthly receipts and statements to each department, maintain and clean or replace all coolers annually, and repair or replace non-functioning coolers within two business days of notification at no additional cost beyond the stated monthly rental rate. Written questions must be submitted via Bonfire by Monday, April 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time, with sealed bids due by Monday, May 4, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. The contract term is three years with two optional one-year renewal periods, subject to satisfactory performance and available appropriations.

This procurement contains no minority-owned business enterprise (MBE) or women-owned business enterprise (WBE) subcontracting goals, with the County requiring 0% MBE and 0% WBE participation; however, all bidders must complete and submit the Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise Utilization Plan forms, the Economic Disclosure Statement and Execution Document (EDS), and the Identification of Subcontractor/Supplier/Subconsultant Form (ISF) as part of their proposals. The County intends to award the contract in its entirety to a single responsive and responsible bidder, and site inspection is not mandatory for this solicitation. All quoted unit prices must be firm for the initial 12-month contract period and must incorporate all costs including delivery, handling, equipment, maintenance, repairs, and applicable taxes, with the contractor bearing responsibility for all incorrect shipments, damaged merchandise, and defective items. Beginning after the first 12 months, the contractor may request annual price adjustments with written justification submitted no longer than 30 days after each 12-month anniversary. The solicitation was posted on April 20, 2026, with Addendum No. 1 issued on April 28, 2026, updating delivery locations and requiring bidders to acknowledge receipt by returning a signed Addenda Acknowledgement Form and submit the updated Bid Table (BT-48CW) with their bids. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the procurement documents provided.