REBID D1 Boat Operator and Bucket Boat Rental FY26

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is conducting a rebid Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Boat Operator and Bucket Boat Rental services for District 1, Fiscal Year 2026 (Solicitation B-51310). The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to provide a 65-foot straight boom man lift bucket boat with operator, a 250 CFM portable air compressor with pneumatic grinders and chisels, personal flotation devices, and associated support services for bridge inspections and maintenance work. The vendor must perform yearly inspections on six mandated movable bascule bridges in Joliet (Cass Street, Jefferson Street, Jackson Street, Ruby Street, Brandon Road, and McDonough Street) and potentially up to eleven additional bridges throughout Cook, Lake, McHenry, DuPage, and Will Counties if time and conditions permit. The boat operator must possess all required local, state, and federal licenses, permits, and certificates prior to contract execution, and work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, with potential overtime available up to four hours daily and Saturday work at overtime rates. The initial contract term is 36 months from execution with a maximum total contract term not exceeding ten years, and the vendor must obtain and maintain Certificate of Liability Insurance valued at one million dollars naming IDOT as an additional insured, covering commercial general liability, excess liability, property and watercraft liability, and pollution liability. All bids must be submitted electronically through BidBuy by April 7, 2026, with the bid remaining firm for 180 days from opening, and the State will award the contract to the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidder who submits pricing on all line items.

This solicitation contains no small business set-aside designation, though vendors may claim Illinois Business Preference or Domestic Product Preference if eligible and submit supporting documentation. Vendors must complete and submit either Vendor Disclosures (for non-IPG registered entities) or IPG Disclosures (for active Illinois Procurement Gateway registered vendors) as part of their bid response, and failure to complete all required sections may result in disqualification. For-profit entities with contracts exceeding $100,000 in annual value must disclose current and pending contracts with Illinois government entities, lobbyists or agents involved, financial interests, and potential conflicts of interest. Vendors must also certify compliance with forced labor prohibitions, Illinois Department of Human Rights registration requirements for companies with 15 or more employees, authorization to transact business in Illinois, drug-free workplace certification, and various state and federal compliance standards. No subcontractors are permitted under this contract, and no bid bonds or performance bonds are required. Specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the solicitation documents; however, pricing details will be submitted through the BidBuy Purchase Order, with a $15 administrative fee applicable to any awarded contract valued at $1,000 or more, to be deducted from the first payment issued to the vendor.