IFB- KILEY- External Storage & Warehousing Services- FY27-29

The Illinois Department of Human Services issued Invitation for Bid (IFB) B-52252 seeking professional warehousing services to provide safe, organized, and accessible off-site dry storage for non-perishable food items utilized by the Nutrition Management Services Program at the Ann M. Kiley Center in Waukegan, Illinois. The contract term runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, with two optional one-year renewals available through June 30, 2031. Required services include receiving, inventory management, storage, withdrawal processing, and bi-weekly delivery of dry goods, with the vendor maintaining 60-70 pallet spaces for 4' x 4' pallets weighing up to 2,800 pounds and located within 40 miles of the Kiley Center. Qualified bidders must demonstrate experience in food storage operations, maintain adequate facility capacity with appropriate climate control capabilities, be bonded warehousemen, and provide reliable logistics support capable of handling approximately 8-10 weekly pallet withdrawals with six annual inventory turnovers. Insurance requirements include general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 annual aggregate, auto liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation as required by law, and fire insurance covering current replacement value of stored goods. All pricing shall be Freight on Board (FOB) Destination with vendors responsible for all shipping, handling, and transportation costs, with invoices submitted weekly itemizing handling, storage, withdrawal, and delivery charges. The mandatory pre-submission conference and bid submission deadline of May 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. through BidBuy electronic system apply, with all bids remaining firm for 90 days from opening and pricing serving as the primary award criterion.

The solicitation includes diversity goals requiring bidders to demonstrate commitment to subcontracting with certified vendors: a 14 percent Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal for minority, women, and persons with disabilities-owned businesses and a 3 percent Veteran Small Business Program (VBP) goal for service-disabled and veteran-owned small businesses. Bidders may meet these goals through self-performance if certified, through identified certified subcontractors, or by requesting waivers with documented good faith efforts to engage diverse vendors. Required submissions include Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure forms, Offer to the State of Illinois, Contract, BEP Utilization Plan, and VBP Utilization Plan; failure to submit any required documentation will render a bid non-responsive. No incumbent vendor is identified in the solicitation materials, and the contract will be funded through General Revenue with no specific set-asides for other enterprise categories. The resulting contract may be partially or fully funded with federal funds, with the percentage and dollar amount to be disclosed upon notice of award, and a $15 fee applies to any contract award of $1,000 or more under the Minority Contractor Opportunity Initiative, to be deducted from the vendor's first payment. The maximum contract amount is to be determined, with pricing to be entered in the BidBuy system by the State prior to contract execution.