Freshwater Mussel Surveys in the Illinois River

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has issued Invitation for Bid (IFB) solicitation 26-422DNR-RESCO-B-50807 for Freshwater Mussel Surveys in the Illinois River, with a bid submission deadline of February 6, 2026. All bids must be submitted electronically through BidBuy, and the state will evaluate submissions based on responsibility and responsiveness criteria before awarding the contract to the lowest priced qualified bidder. Prospective bidders must demonstrate financial capacity, past performance, and compliance with applicable laws; no bid or performance bonds are required. Bidders are strongly encouraged to submit written questions to the information contact no later than three days prior to bid opening. The resulting contract will be governed by Illinois law and standard state terms and conditions, with a preference for domestically manufactured products unless cost, quality, or availability exceptions apply. All required documentation, including vendor disclosures, offers to the state, contract blanks, and applicable utilization plans, must accompany the bid submission, and bids must remain firm for 90 days from opening.

This procurement includes a $15 administrative fee that will be deducted from the first payment for any awarded contract valued at $1,000 or more to support the Minority Contractor Opportunity Initiative. The contract may be partially or totally funded with federal funds, with the specific percentage and dollar amount to be disclosed upon award notification. While the attached Goal Setting & Review Form pertains to a separate Joint Purchase Master Contract for crash cushion attenuators (solicitation R-261887/B-49930) with a total projected value of $1,560,000, no explicit budget or award value is specified in the freshwater mussel survey solicitation materials. The state reserves the right to amend the solicitation, reject any or all bids, request clarifications, or waive minor defects in the bidding process.