Creating Sealed Bid Specifications
What to Include in the Specifications
When an invitation for a bid is required, the responsibility for furnishing comprehensive specifications for the products being requested for purchase rests with the initiating department.
Bid specifications should include the following details:
- Product description or number
- Quantity and units
- Estimated cost
- Preferred delivery dates
- Delivery specifics
- Any relevant considerations, including the need for "special university or governmental approvals"
This information is crucial and should be supplied to the appropriate Purchasing Office to be integrated into the bidding process, where applicable.
Purchasing may have samples of bids to assist in developing specifications. A request for a sample should be made with the specific Purchasing Division for the product or service you are procuring. The unique requirements of some commodities preclude a "cookie cutter" bid approach, therefore, working with Purchasing to develop the requirements in the bid would be beneficial to procuring the required products and/or services.
If the Department has been in contact with vendors who can supply the goods and/or services required, those names and addresses should be forwarded to the Purchasing Division.
How Bids are Advertised, Processed, and Awarded
State of Illinois procurement law mandates that bids be advertised for 14 full days in the Illinois Higher Education Procurement Bulletin. Additional time may be required for obtaining information as well as preparation time for the Purchasing Division.
The formal “Sealed Bid Opening” is a public opening held at the Purchasing Offices. After the bids have been read aloud, they are given to the Purchasing Division for preliminary review and then forwarded to the department for evaluation. The length of time the department requires for the evaluation can vary.
After the evaluation is completed, the information must be returned to the Purchasing Division who will review the evaluation and after consulting with the department and State Purchasing Officer, will post an award if approved to the most responsive/responsible vendor.
Invitation for bid procurements and awards made pursuant to a competitive bid process are subject to review by the Procurement Policy Board (PPB) and the Commission on Equity & Inclusion (CEI).