Section 605.20  Number of Contractors; Use of Subcontractors

a)         The Director shall initiate contract negotiations with the single proposer or joint venture that has submitted the overall contract proposal which best conforms to the standards specified in this Part.  However, if, based on the criteria stated in this Part, the Director determines that none of the proposals submitted will serve the interests of the State of Illinois, as stated in Section 2 of the Illinois Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Act, the Director shall not be required to accept any of the proposals.  A time limit of one hundred and eighty (180) days has been established as the allowable negotiation period.  If the negotiations are not completed within this period, the Director may extend the negotiation period with the selected proposer.  Furthermore, if a contract cannot be negotiated with the first proposer selected, the Director may either initiate contract negotiations with another proposer or reissue the Request for Proposals.  The Director reserves the right to terminate negotiations prior to the end of the negotiation period or extend negotiations thereafter.

b)         When evaluating proposals, the Director shall consider the proposed use of subcontractors and consultants.  Specifically, the Director shall determine, based on the criteria set out in this Part, whether the proposed use of subcontractors and consultants will further the interests of the State of Illinois, as stated in Section 2 of the Illinois Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Act.  The Director shall not select any proposal which calls for the subcontracting of facility operation. Subcontractors will be evaluated against the same standards as contractors, but only to the extent that such standards apply to the specific responsibilities assigned to the subcontractor as set out in the proposal.