DHS SP Ludeman Cold Storage Services

The Illinois Department of Human Services is soliciting a qualified vendor to provide cold storage services for frozen and refrigerated food products at a facility serving the Elisabeth Ludeman Developmental Center in Park Forest, Illinois (Cook County). The procurement encompasses receiving, handling, storage, and weekly delivery of food items from various vendors, with approximately 600 pounds of withdrawals required per week on Wednesdays between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. (or an alternative mutually agreed date). The selected vendor must maintain frozen food storage at zero degrees Fahrenheit or below and refrigerated items at 36 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit, provide itemized receipts within 24 hours of receipt, maintain perpetual inventory records, and make the facility available for periodic inspections. The storage facility must be located within 60 miles of the Ludeman Center and operational within 10 days of contract execution. Required vendor qualifications include certification as a bonded warehouse, compliance with all state and federal regulations including OSHA standards, possession of all necessary food handling and storage licenses and permits, maintenance of insurance coverage equal to the current replacement value of stored goods, and prevailing wage compliance under the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. The contract term covers fiscal years 2026 and 2027 with possible modifications based on operational needs. The proposal due date is April 27, 2026, and the posting date was April 21, 2026.

The solicitation documents do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to particular categories of organizations such as disadvantaged enterprises, minority-owned businesses, or woman-owned businesses. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the materials provided, nor is there reference to existing infrastructure or technology requiring integration beyond the baseline inventory of frozen and refrigerated food products as of April 9, 2026. Vendors must comply with all standard Illinois certifications covering 34 distinct conditions related to legal standing, eligibility, environmental compliance, tax requirements, drug-free workplace standards (for contracts exceeding $5,000 with 25+ employees), equal employment opportunity practices, and restrictions on political contributions. Required insurance coverage includes General Commercial Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 annual aggregate, Auto Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and Workers' Compensation Insurance as required by law. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the procurement documents, though weekly billing should include handling and storage charges for newly received products, recurring storage charges, withdrawal charges, and delivery charges based on actual usage and facility operations.