Responsible
Bidding Ordinance
Responsible Bidding
is the idea that public construction
projects paid for by taxpayer money such
as schools, libraries and water treatment
plants need not automatically be awarded
to the lowest bidder. The public body
undertaking the project should retain
some discretion to award the project
to the lowest "responsible
bidder."
So, what makes a bidder responsible,
and why would a public body ever want to pass on
the lowest bid? The answer has to do with ethics
and the opportunity to hire the safest, most qualified
company available to perform the work on behalf of
the taxpayers.
There are companies out there
willing to do the work for bargain-basement prices,
but they may not always deliver what they promise
and may let your community down.
A community can help assure that
it hires only responsible companies by passing a "Responsible
Bidder Ordinance" – a resolution
adopted into a public body's procurement codes that
specifies certain criteria that a contractor must
meet in order to be eligible to perform work on behalf
of that community.
Simple things like assuring that
contractors have the proper business registrations,
show past compliance with environmental, labor and
safety laws, relevant insurance coverage, prevailing
wage compliance and apprenticeship and training participation
can go a long way in assuring the financial and structural
success of all public construction projects.
In the long run, the responsible
contractor is going to provide more taxpayer value
than the contractor who is cutting corners in the
areas of training, labor or safety.
The term "lowest responsible
bidder" is incapable of an exact definition,
but the concept involves considerably more than solely
the monetary amount of the company's bid. The term
contemplates that bidders discharge contractual obligations
in accordance with what may be expected or demanded
under the terms of the contract. In fact, a contract
may be awarded to one who is not the lowest bidder,
where this is done in the public interest, in the
exercise of discretionary power granted under the
laws, without fraud, unfair dealing, or favoritism,
and where there is a sound and reasonable basis for
the award. Where an entity has exercised its discretion,
the presumption obtains that the action was regular
and lawful.
- National Responsible Bidder
Information
Visit Site- Endorsements
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llinois
State Senators
Jacqueline
Y. Collins
State Senator, 16th District
Deanna Demuzio
State Senator, 49th District
Debbie
Halvorson
Senate Majority Leader
Denny
Jacobs
State Senator, 36th District
David Koehler
State Senator, 46th District
Kimberly A. Lightford
State Senator, 4th District
Terry
Link
State Senator, 30th District
Edward
Maloney
State Senator, 18th District
Louis V. Viverito
Assistant Majority Leader
Indiana
State Representatives
Chet Dobis
State Representative
Linda Lawson
State Representative
Mara Candelaria Reardon
State Representative
Russ Stillwell
State Representative
Terry Goddin
State Representative
US Congress
Melissa
L. Bean
Member of Congress, 8th District Illinois
Richard
J. Durbin
United States Senator
Lane
Evans
Member of Congress, 17th District Illinois
Daniel
Lipinski
Member of Congress, 3rd District Illinois
Barack
Obama
United States Senator
Trade Associations
Construction
Industry Service Corporation
Illinois
Small Pavers Association
Three
Rivers Construction Alliance
Lake
County Contractors' Association
Contractors'
Association of Will and Grundy Counties
|
Illinois
State Representatives
Dan Beiser
State Representative, 111th District
Maria A. “Toni” Berrios
State Representative, 39th District
Mike
Boland
State Representative, 71st District
John E. Bradley
State Representative, 117th District
James
Brosnahan
State Representative, 36th District
Linda
Chapa LaVia
State Representative, 83rd District
John
D'Amico
State Representative, 15th District
Lisa M. Dugan
State Representative, 79th District
Robert F. Flider
State Representative, 101st District
Jack
D. Franks
State Representative, 63rd District
John A. Fritchey
State Representative, 11th District
Paul
Froehlich
State Representative, 56th District
Careen
Gordon
State Representative, 75th District
Jay C. Hoffman
State Representative, 112th District
Thomas Holbrook
State Representative, 113th District
Kevin C. Joyce
State Representative, 35th District
Louis
I. Lang
State Representative, 16th District
Michael
McAulliffe
State Representative, 20th District
Kevin
McCarthy
State Representative, 37th District
Jack
McGuire
State Representative, 86th District
Bill
Mitchell
State Representative, 87th District
Don
Moffitt
State Representative, 74th District
JoAnn D. Osmond
State Representative, 61st District
Brandon W. Phelps
State Representative, 118th District
Robert
A. Rita
State Representative, 28th District
Angelo "Skip" Saviano
State Representative, 77th District
Patrick
J. Verschoore
State Representative, 72nd District
Other Officials
Daniel
W. Hynes
Illinois State Comptroller
Lawrence
Walsh
Will County Executive
Thomas J. Weisner
Mayor of Aurora
Illinois
Department of Transportation |
- Existing Ordinances
-
- Responsible Bidder Information
 Toolkit
Brochure
Illinois
Illinois Checklist & Affidavit (March 2009)
Illinois Ordinance (March 2009)
Indiana
Indiana Checklist & Affidavit (March 2009)
Indiana Ordinance (March 2009)
Iowa
Iowa Checklist & Affidavit (March 2009)
Iowa Ordinance (March 2009) |
