Newspaper Advertisements for Proposed Constitutional Amendment

The State of Illinois, through the Illinois Secretary of State, is procuring statewide newspaper advertisement placement services to publish proposed constitutional amendments. The resulting contract will have an initial 6-month term, with options for the State to renew for up to 10 years total. The vendor will be responsible for publishing the proposed amendments three times in at least one secular newspaper of general circulation in every county in Illinois where a newspaper is published, beginning at least one month prior to the November 8, 2022 General Election. The vendor will also be responsible for preparing the artwork, conducting an audit of the process, and invoicing the State. The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who submits the lowest percentage of markup on the advertising costs. There are no expenses allowed, and no small business set-aside for this solicitation. The total payments under the contract shall not exceed an amount to be determined by the State prior to contract execution.

The contract is subject to the availability of appropriations and may be terminated for cause or convenience by the State. The Notice of Award indicates the contract was awarded to the Illinois Press Association as the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidder, for an initial 6-month term and $500,000 estimated budget, with no available renewal options. There were 3 unsuccessful bidders, including Conroy Media, Hambrick and Associates, and AEI Advertising. The total payments under the contract shall not exceed $750,000 without a formal change order or amendment.