DHS IFB ISVI - Two school buses

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the purchase of two school buses to transport students from the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI) throughout the school year for scheduled home visits and school-related events. The procurement specifically requires one 66-passenger school bus equipped with a wheelchair lift accommodating two wheelchairs and one 71-72 passenger school bus, with both vehicles specified as Thomas C2 Blue Bird ISA Vision buses or equivalent models meeting detailed technical specifications. The buses must be delivered to the CMS garage at 640 North Lincoln Avenue, Springfield, Illinois by June 30, 2026, with the contract term commencing upon final execution and concluding on June 30, 2026, with a maximum total term not to exceed ten years including any renewal terms or extensions. Required specifications include wheelchair lifts, dual air conditioning and heating systems, diesel engines certified for B5 biodiesel fuel, GPS systems, emergency roof hatches, and extended warranty coverage including towing for six months with weekly status reports for out-of-service buses. Vendors must maintain General Commercial Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate, Auto Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and Worker's Compensation Insurance as required by law, with the State named as additionally insured. Bids were due January 16, 2026, submitted electronically through BidBuy, with bids remaining firm for 90 days from opening, and written questions required by 5 p.m. on December 26, 2025. The award was made to the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidder meeting specified criteria.

This procurement contained no identified set-asides for minority-owned, women-owned, disadvantaged, or veteran-owned businesses, though vendors were required to submit appropriate Business Enterprise Program or Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plans if applicable. No incumbent vendor was identified for this procurement, and subcontracting was not permitted under the contract. Vendors not registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) were required to submit standard Vendor Disclosure forms (formerly Forms A), while active IPG-registered vendors were required to submit the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, along with an Offer to the State of Illinois form. The contract was awarded to Central States Bus Sales Inc. on January 23, 2026, for a total award amount of $318,530.00, compared to an unsuccessful bid from Midwest Bus Sales Inc. of $383,659.00. The contract was funded through locally held funds with no federal funding specified. All resulting contracts include Standard Terms and Conditions and Standard Illinois Certifications, governed by Illinois law and the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500), with a $15 administrative fee required from the awarded bidder to be deducted from the first check issued.