Illinois RFPs: The Ultimate Guide to Illinois Bids

Are you begging to bid on your craving for deep-dish pizza? Or is a Chicago-style hot dog more your style? Either way, we’ve worked up an appetite to bid on Illinois RFPs (Requests for Proposals). So, if you’re hungry for midwestern state solicitations and contract opportunities, then we’re thrilled to tell you that you’re in the right place.

We’re here to help you fill up your plate with all the tips and tricks you need to successfully register, learn, and build a bid for the State of Illinois. The experts at The Bid Lab are ready to welcome you to the Ultimate Guide to Illinois Bids! 

Key Resources For Illinois RFPs and Bids

The Illinois Procurement Bulletin is one of your best bets for reviewing up-to-date information on government contracts and RFP opportunities across Illinois. If you want to work with state agencies, give this site a look! Another key resource is the Pathway to Procurement, which includes details about the state’s online procurement system. This site lists RFPs from state agencies, universities, and other government entities. Pathway to Procurement will also lead you to information about BidBuy, which is the main hub for Illinois bids. Access the main BidBuy portal for Illinois here.

Other resources include:

• The Illinois Chief Procurement Office (CPO): Looking for information about vendors, bids, and Illinois RFPs? The official agency website that administers all RFPs in Illinois should land on your list of websites to research. They oversee the Illinois Procurement Gateway (linked below) and have great information about the administrative side of Illinois RFPs. If you are a vendor, you’ll want to review this handy overview about bidding in Illinois.
• Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG): The state portal and gateway to bidding for Illinois state contracts is administered by the state CPO. Vendors need to register with Illinois before they bid. Access a helpful checklist for first-time registrants here.
• The Illinois State Comptroller Official Site: Any research about Illinois vendor pricing or state contracts should start with this agency site.

Learning More About Illinois RFPs and Bids

Some agency departments also provide their updates on RFPs for their specific departments. The Department of Transportation, Capital Development Board, and Higher Education all have their own bulletins that can provide you with information in their specific fields.  

• Illinois Department of Transportation: The Chief Procurement Officer for Highway Construction oversees all construction-related RFPs. The Department’s professional services, construction, and specialized material needs are advertised continually. You can find information on the design and planning of transportation improvement projects, construction activity and infrastructure needs. The Department of Transportation provides the Contractor’s Bulletin weekly, which advertises procurement opportunities.
• Illinois Capital Development Board: The Illinois Capital Development Board provides a Procurement Bulletin. You can register to receive electronic notifications when new information is available. 
• Higher Education Procurement Bulletin: Illinois public universities and other Illinois institutions post solicitations for a wide variety of services on the Higher Education Procurement Bulletin. Vendors can also find solicitations, download documents, and bid electronically. Vendors who are awarded each contract are also posted on the Bulletin.   

These resources can help you explore the great opportunities to expand your business in Illinois through the RFP process.

Registering with the State of Illinois 

To register to bid on Illinois RFPs, you need to create an account on the state BidBuy platform via the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG). We’ve already touched on the IPG, but this is where you can find step-by-step help with the vendor registration process. You’ll also be able to set up notifications so you can stay updated on the hottest new bid opportunities for your industry or services. There are webinars and training sessions to help new vendors navigate the registration process, as well as a quickstart vendor registration checklist (PDF). To get started, access the platform at “bidbuy.illinois.gov” to begin the registration process.

According to the Illinois Department of Commerce, Illinois has one of the most diverse economies in the nation. Illinois is strong in agribusiness and food processing, advanced manufacturing, energy, life sciences and biotech, business and professional services. With a labor force of 6.6 million, over 192 higher education institutions, and 200 incubators, tech parks, and spaces for start-ups, Illinois is open for business. By the looks of the wealth of information on their FAQ pages, they’re ready to do business with local small businesses and newcomers alike.

We hope these tidbits hype you up enough to start the vendor registration process. Who wouldn’t want to do business with Illinois?

Illinois RFPs and Small Business Certifications

The economy of Illinois is diverse, which means that many businesses are often vying for the same contracts. So, how can you set yourself apart when submitting your Illinois RFP? If you are a small business, you can set yourself apart by applying to be officially certified by the State of Illinois. Your first step, of course, is to register your application with Sell 2 Illinois, the small business certification portal.

A small business in Illinois is a business that is independently owned and operated, is not dominant in its field and meets the required size status. No wholesale business can exceed $13 million in annual sales, no construction business can exceed $14 million in annual sales, and no manufacturing business can employ more than 250 persons. 

The Chief Procurement Office requires state agencies to purchase from qualified Illinois small businesses in certain situations. This shelters Illinois small businesses from competing with larger businesses for state contracts. Illinois has set a goal of awarding 10% of all state contracts to qualified small businesses. In 2021, more than $199 million was awarded to registered small businesses. A little over half of the awards from state agencies to small businesses came from set-aside contracts. Furthermore, one in three registered small businesses received an Illinois state contract. So, getting certified can definitely give your Illinois RFP the edge it needs to succeed.

You Don’t Have to Go It Alone

Ready to start building your response for that perfect Illinois RFP opportunity? We can help. Read up on how to create RFP response templates in our Learning Center. Then, learn why you should hire a RFP writer. Or, if you’re looking to find the perfect RFP in the state of Illinois, check out Bid Banana, our user-friendly RFP database. The Bid Banana Blog can help you find bids in all 50 states, including Illinois! So reach out to schedule a free consultation with us today by calling 1-844-4BIDLAB or emailing respond@thebidlab.com.