DOC/dishwashing machine and installation/AF

The Illinois Department of Corrections is procuring an industrial flight-type dishwashing machine with complete installation services for the Pontiac Correctional Center's Dietary Department through an Invitation for Bid (IFB #26-426DOC-PONTI-B-50254). The equipment must meet specific technical specifications including energy recovery functionality with automatic soil removal, dual rinse capability, blower dryer, microprocessor controls, and capacity to process approximately 14,000 dishes per hour, with dimensions between 20 feet 6 inches and 26 feet in length and 39 to 48 inches in width; washing temperatures must reach a minimum of 150 degrees Fahrenheit with rinsing at 160 degrees Fahrenheit and final rinse at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The vendor must provide the complete machine, installation services, debris removal, and owner/operator manuals with maintenance and repair instructions, with installation scheduled Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the facility located at 700 West Lincoln Street, Pontiac, Illinois 61764. The contract term extends from execution through June 30, 2026, and the State will evaluate bids based on responsibility, responsiveness, and price, awarding the contract to the lowest-priced responsive and responsible bidder. Bidders must submit electronic bids exclusively through the BidBuy platform by December 23, 2025, with written questions due by December 19, 2025; vendors must provide a Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure form, an Offer to the State of Illinois, and a Business Enterprise Program/Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plan if applicable. Required insurance includes General Commercial Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 annual aggregate, Auto Liability of $1,000,000, and Worker's Compensation Insurance, and vendor employees must pass security background checks and drug screening within five working days of award.

This procurement may qualify as a small business set-aside, requiring registered participation in the Illinois Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time bids are due. The State has established aspirational goals of awarding not less than 30 percent of total contract dollar amounts to Business Enterprise Program (BEP)-certified minority-owned, women-owned, and disability-owned businesses, and 3 percent to service-disabled veteran-owned and veteran-owned small businesses; bidders must identify certified diverse vendors and document good faith outreach efforts if unable to meet participation goals. No subcontractors are permitted for this procurement, and the contract was awarded to Saify Traders for $265,000.00, the lowest-priced responsive and responsible bidder, with Focus Business identified as a certified BEP vendor in the utilization plan. All vendors must comply with Standard Illinois Certifications requirements and the Illinois Procurement Code, including prevailing wage requirements where applicable, and are subject to comprehensive compliance obligations covering equal employment opportunity, environmental compliance, drug-free workplace standards, cybersecurity requirements, and prohibitions on forced labor and child labor in foreign-made products. The contract award is not final until all protests are resolved, with bidders having the right to protest specification-related issues within fourteen days of the solicitation posting or award-related issues within fourteen days of learning relevant facts.