Emergency Notice - UAS Drones

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), through the State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services, has completed an emergency purchase of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) drones from Frontier Precision for $2,137,601.46. This was not an open solicitation; the procurement was executed under emergency authority on August 17, 2026, following Federal Highway Administration recommendation on March 4, 2026, that IDOT ground its fleet of 28 DJI-based drones on all federally funded projects, and an IDOT memorandum dated March 18, 2026, that grounded the entire fleet.

The scope includes thirteen RTK intermediate form-factor survey-grade multi-rotor UAS complete packages with imagery cameras, ten LiDAR cameras, and seven thermal cameras; and thirteen multi-function small form-factor multi-rotor UAS complete packages with imagery, thermal, and survey capability. Each platform package includes controllers, batteries, chargers, cables, carrying cases, propellers, maintenance kits, and ancillary equipment. All systems must comply with the American Security Drone Act of 2023 (ASDA) and Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) requirements.

Frontier Precision, located at 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, Illinois, was selected based on expertise with UAS equipment and existing state registration enabling expedited execution. IDOT conducted the emergency purchase with as much competition as practicable by contracting vendors known to have completed similar work through recent open bidding processes. The selected vendor's pricing aligned with known industry standards and demonstrated ability to meet the full scope with sufficient staffing, skillsets, and geographic coverage. A search of certified Business Enterprise Program (BEP) vendors returned zero qualified contractors in the relevant class code, resulting in a 0% BEP scope goal. Funding derives from State Appropriated Funds. No active state contract was identified as available for the required supplies and services.