EXEMPT NOTICE - ISBE Exempt Procurement Report - July 2025

This is an exempt procurement notice from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) reporting 22 contracts awarded in July 2025 that are exempt from standard competitive procurement procedures. The procurements cover specialized services including Summer Food Service Program field operations coordination in Chicago, educator licensure processing and document management, special education mediation and hearing officer services, special education complaint investigations, legal representation for teacher licensure matters, and preparation for anticipated litigation and enforcement actions. Contracts are classified under two primary exemption categories: Hiring of an Individual as an Employee (Sec. 1-10(b)(4)) for three positions totaling $50,103.98, and Preparation for Anticipated Litigation, Enforcement Action, or Investigation (Sec. 1-10(b)(7)) for 19 contracts totaling $2,034,000.00. The contract period begins July 1, 2025, with most special education-related contracts extending through June 30, 2026, while the Summer Food Service Program coordination contract concludes on September 30, 2025. No specific response dates, bidder meetings, site visits, or detailed evaluation criteria are documented in this exemption report, as these contracts are exempt from standard competitive procurement procedures. The notice was posted February 9, 2026, with a due date of February 27, 2026.

No set-asides or designations for disadvantaged enterprises are identified in this exemption report. The contracted vendors include professional firms such as Tressler LLP ($200,000.00) and Laner Muchin ($195,000.00), as well as individual consultants serving as special education mediators, hearing officers, complaint investigators, and administrative support staff. No specific incumbents or existing contractors are listed in the procurement report. The total contract value across all 22 agreements is approximately $2,084,103.97, with individual contract amounts ranging from $12,551.99 to $200,000.00. No specific funding sources are identified in the report, and no information regarding required integration with existing infrastructure or technology is provided.