97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB1875

 

Introduced 2/10/2011, by Sen. A. J. Wilhelmi

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Responsible Bidder in Service Contracts Act. Provides certain criteria for "lowest responsible bidder". Provides that a bidder who, within a 3-year period, has twice violated the prevailing wage provisions of the Illinois Procurement Code shall be deemed not to be a responsible bidder for 4 years. Provides that a bidder shall remain neutral in any union organizing campaign. Provides that when an award is not recommended to be given to the lowest bidder, the purchasing agent shall prepare a statement of the reasons for the recommendation. Provides that when 2 or more responsible bidders submit the same low bid, the contract award shall be determined by drawing lots. Provides for a private right of action. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning finance.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Responsible Bidder in Service Contracts Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. The State expends substantial
7municipal funds for public services. A large portion of that
8money derives from taxes paid by Illinois residents. It is
9therefore in the public interest, health, welfare, and safety
10to let all public service contracts of $2,000 or more or $200
11or more per month to the lowest responsive and responsible
12bidder.
 
13    Section 10. Definition. For purposes of this Act the terms
14"work" and "labor" mean the same as "services" as defined in
15Section 25-60 of the Illinois Procurement Code.
 
16    Section 15. Criteria. "Lowest responsible bidder" is a
17bidder who meets all of the following applicable criteria and
18submits evidence of that compliance:
19        (a) Compliance with all applicable laws prerequisite
20    to doing business in Illinois.
21        (b) Compliance with:

 

 

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1            (1) Federal employer tax identification number or,
2        for sole proprietors, social security number
3        requirements.
4            (2) Provisions of the Equal Employment Opportunity
5        Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 2000e through 2000e-17) and
6        Federal Executive Order No. 11246 as amended by Federal
7        Executive Order No. 11375.
8        (c) Certificates of insurance indicating the following
9    coverage as necessary for the contract and in amounts
10    specified in the bid specifications:
11            (1) General liability.
12            (2) Worker's compensation.
13            (3) Hazardous occupation.
14            (4) Product liability.
15            (5) Professional liability.
16        (d) Proof of performance bond, which in no event shall
17    provide coverage for less than 20% of the total cost of the
18    contract to be awarded.
19        (e) Compliance with Section 25-60 of the Illinois
20    Procurement Code, including wages and fringe benefits for
21    those classifications of services covered in the Code.
22        (f) All labor shall be covered by an approved health
23    and hospital plan and an approved pension plan. A statement
24    of employee benefits must be completed and made part of the
25    bid in order for the bid to be accepted.
26        (g) Proof of any professional or trade license required

 

 

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1    by law for any trade or specialty area in which the bidder
2    is seeking a contract award. Additionally, the bidder must
3    disclose any suspension or revocation of such a license
4    held by the company, or of any director, officer, or
5    manager employed by the bidder.
6    Failure to produce these items within 5 business days after
7the date of written request by the State shall result in the
8bidder's disqualification.
 
9    Section 20. Employee misclassification. A contractor must
10swear under oath that employees on the project are properly
11classified pursuant to the federal tax code and as clarified in
12current IRS regulations.
 
13    Section 25. Prevailing wage requirements.
14    (a) A bidder who has been found to be in violation of the
15prevailing wage provisions of the Illinois Procurement Code
16twice within a 3-year period shall be deemed not to be a
17responsible bidder for 4 years after the date of the latest
18finding.
19    (b) A bidder must file with the State a signed statement
20that the bidder has reviewed the prevailing wage provisions of
21the Illinois Procurement Code, that the bidder has reviewed and
22agrees to pay the applicable prevailing wage rate as set forth
23in the wage rate schedule attached to the bid specifications,
24and that the bidder will strictly comply with Section 25-60 of

 

 

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1the Illinois Procurement Code.
 
2    Section 30. Union neutrality. A bidder or contractor shall
3remain neutral in any union organizing campaign and shall not
4use public funds to influence the decision of its employees to
5join or not join the union of their choice.
 
6    Section 35. Additional criteria available. If the criteria
7set forth in Section 15 are otherwise satisfied, the State may
8also consider the following factors, in its discretion, in
9awarding the project if that information is requested:
10        (a) Statements as to past performance, which shall give
11    an accurate and complete record of all work completed in
12    the past 3 years by the contractor. The bidder shall give
13    the names and addresses of the projects, original contract
14    price, final contract price, and the names of all
15    subcontractors used, if applicable, and a statement as to
16    compliance with awarded contracts.
17        (b) Any determinations relating to violations of
18    federal, state, or local laws including but not limited to
19    violations of OSHA, the National Labor Relations Act, or
20    the McNamara Service Contract Act.
 
21    Section 40. Debarment. For any second or subsequent
22violation of these provisions by an employer or entity, as
23determined by the Department of Central Management Services

 

 

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1(CMS), which is within 3 years of an earlier violation by the
2employer or entity, CMS shall add the name of the employer or
3entity to a list to be posted on CMS's official website. Upon
4posting the name of the employer or entity, CMS shall notify
5the violating employer or entity. No state contract shall be
6awarded to an employer or entity appearing on the list until 4
7years have elapsed from the date of its last violation.
 
8    Section 45. Lowest bidder not chosen. When the award is not
9recommended to be given to the lowest responsible bidder, a
10statement of the reasons for that award recommendation shall be
11prepared by the purchasing agent.
 
12    Section 50. Multiple low bids. When 2 or more responsible
13bidders submit the same low bid, the contract award shall be
14determined by drawing lots in the presence of the responsible
15bidders involved. However, if one bidder is a local bidder and
16one is a non-local bidder, then the local bidder shall be
17awarded the contract.
 
18    Section 55. Private right of action.
19    (a) An interested party or person aggrieved by a violation
20of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act by an employer
21or entity may file suit in circuit court in the county where
22the alleged offense occurred or where any person who is party
23to the action resides, without regard to exhaustion of any

 

 

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1alternative administrative remedies provided in this Act.
2Actions may be brought by one or more persons for and on behalf
3of themselves and other persons similarly situated. A person
4whose rights have been violated under this Act by an employer
5or entity is entitled to collect:
6        (1) the amount of any wages, salary, or employment;
7        (2) compensatory damages and an amount up to $500 for
8    each violation of this Act or any rule adopted under this
9    Act;
10        (3) in the case of unlawful retaliation, all legal or
11    equitable relief as may be appropriate; and
12        (4) attorney's fees and costs.
13    (b) The right of an interested party or aggrieved person to
14bring an action under this Section terminates 3 years after the
15final date the party performed services for the employer or
16entity. This limitations period is tolled if an employer or
17entity has deterred a person's exercise of rights under this
18Act.
 
19    Section 60. Materiality. The requirements of this Act are a
20material part of the contract, and the successful bidder shall
21incorporate those requirements into all subcontracts.
 
22    Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are
23severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
 
24    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon

 

 

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1becoming law.