Newspaper Advertisements for Proposed Constitutional Amendments

The Illinois Office of the Secretary of State is soliciting bids from vendors to provide newspaper advertisement placement services for the 2020 Proposed Constitutional Amendments. The selected vendor will be responsible for publishing the proposed amendments three times in a minimum of 279 newspapers across the state. The vendor must provide the artwork, conduct an audit, and coordinate with the newspapers to ensure proper publication. The contract has an initial term of 6 months, with the State having the option to renew for additional terms, not to exceed a total of 10 years. Vendors must submit pricing as a percentage markup on the advertising costs. The contract may be partially or fully funded with federal funds, and the percentage of federal funding will be disclosed upon notice of intent to award. The Invitation for Bid (IFB) allows for subcontracting and includes requirements for minority, women, and veteran-owned business participation.

The IFB indicates that this contract was procured through the Invitation for Bid process, and Conroy Media was selected as the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidder, with a 5% markup from the total advertising cost. The estimated financial return to the State for the life of the contract is not provided, nor is the estimated gross revenue to the vendor. The contract does not have any specific Business Enterprise Program (BEP) or Veteran's Business Program (VBP) requirements specified.