The Illinois Tollway board of directors approved seven construction and professional engineering services contracts totaling nearly $24.1 million at its March board meeting on March 25, including contracts that support new and growing construction businesses.
More than $32 million in contracts has been approved by the Tollway Board in 2021, as part of the 10th year of the Tollway's 15-year, $14 billion Move Illinois capital program. Overall, in 2021, the Tollway anticipates awarding more than 80 new contracts, with an emphasis placed on offering small business initiative and unbundled contracts.
"The Illinois Tollway has taken the challenge of increasing diversity to heart and has worked tirelessly at finding ways to lift small and diverse firms and give them an opportunity to compete with the ultimate goal of building capacity and opportunities for growth," said Illinois Tollway Executive Director José Alvarez. "This month's contracts are a great example of how we have taken another look at what remains in the Move Illinois program with a keen eye toward offering contracts for small businesses."
To date, more than $8.7 billion has been invested by the Illinois Tollway since the Move Illinois Program began in 2012, with more than $2 billion of that total committed to small, diverse and veteran-owned firms. In addition, the capital program has created or sustained an estimated 92,430 total jobs as of February 2021.
The contracts approved March 25 include one prime contractor, one prime consultant, 11 subcontractors and six subconsultants that are certified as disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms and three subcontractors and one subconsultant that are certified veteran-owned firms. Commitments for D/M/WBE participation range from 19.10 to 90 percent per contract and commitments for veteran participation range from 2.73 to 5 percent per contract.
March construction contracts awarded include:
- A $7.9 million contract to Superior Construction Co., Portage, Ind., for bridge construction on the ramp from O'Hare International Airport to the I-490/Illinois Route 390 Interchange.
- A $4.6 million contract to Foundation Mechanics, Des Plaines, Ill., for construction of an access ramp to the new Aurora (M-8) maintenance site on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88).
- A $2.2 million contract to Elite Fiber Optics, Franklin Park, Ill., for systemwide fiber optic relocations.
- A $1.5 million contract to Lorig Construction Company, Des Plaines, Ill., for structural rehabilitation along the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) between Butterfield Road and Army Trail Road.
- A $1.2 million contract to Western Remac Inc., Woodridge, Ill., for plaza improvements at the Boughton Road Toll Plaza and Army Trail Toll Plaza on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355).
- A $710,198 contract to Western Remac Inc., Woodridge, Ill., for plaza improvements at the Meyers Road Toll Plaza and York Road Toll Plaza on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88).
March professional services contract awarded includes:
- A $6 million contract to Gonzalez Companies, Downers Grove, Ill., for construction management services on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
Illinois Tollway professional engineering services contracts are selected in accordance with the qualifications-based selection process (Illinois Public Act 87-673 (30 ILCS 535/1-535/80) Architectural, Engineering and Land Surveying Qualifications-Based Selection Act), which requires state agencies to select professional architects, engineers and surveyors based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications. Construction contracts for Illinois Tollway projects are competitively bid under the rules of the Illinois Procurement Code. All contracts are presented to the Illinois Tollway board of directors for review and approval.
For more information, visit illinoistollway.com.
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