The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors today approved nine new construction contracts totaling $152.5 million and nine new engineering contracts totaling $24.4 million for construction management and design services, including the first small business set-aside contract. More than $732 million in construction and engineering contracts has been approved by the Tollway Board so far in 2013.
Nearly $1.4 billion in construction and engineering contracts has been awarded since the Move Illinois Program began in 2012. The Tollway estimates more than 400 construction and engineering firms are currently working on the Move Illinois Program, and the capital program has created or sustained up to 5,830 jobs since January 2012.
"The Illinois Tollway is putting thousands of men and women to work on construction projects across Northern Illinois to maintain and expand our interstate system, which, in turn, keeps hundreds of companies in business,” said Governor Pat Quinn. “These contracts are a commitment to jobs now and for years to come.”
“Move Illinois is giving companies of all types and sizes the chance to do business,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur. “To keep our Move Illinois projects on track, we need large, experienced companies, as well as small businesses, and, this month, we are pleased to award our first small business set-aside contract for roofing work at several of our maintenance buildings.”
Construction contracts approved today commit nearly $147.4 million for work as part of the $2.2 billion Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) Rebuilding and Widening Project, including contracts for westbound I-90 construction in 2014 and work to prepare for construction on the east end of the corridor. Other contracts awarded will provide construction management services necessary to oversee work on the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project, as well as contracts to keep the existing Tollway system in good condition.
The 18 new contracts include one prime consultant and 57 subcontractors and subconsultants that are certified as disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprises (D/M/WBE). Commitments for D/M/WBE participation range from 17 to 88 percent per contract. Of the $176.9 million in awarded contracts, more than $39 million or 22 percent is committed to these firms.
Construction contracts awarded today include:
• $133.6 million for westbound mainline rebuilding and widening on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90):
o A $48.6 million contract to Curran Contracting Co., Crystal Lake, IL, for work from Genoa Road to Anthony Road.
o A $43.9 million contract to R.W. Dunteman Co., Lombard, IL, for work from the Kishwaukee River to Genoa Road.
o A $29.2 million contract to F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC, Chicago, IL, for work from U.S. Route 20 to Illinois Route 47.
o An $11.9 million contract to William Charles Construction Co. LLC, Loves Park, IL, for work from Mill Road to East of Kishwaukee River.
• An $8.8 million contract to Plote Construction Inc., Hoffman Estates, IL, for shoulder work to prepare for rebuilding and widening on I-90 from the Elgin Toll Plaza to the Kennedy Expressway.
• A $4.1 million contract to R.W. Dunteman Co., Lombard, IL, for pavement and bridge repairs throughout the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), at Yackley Road and Burr Oaks Road on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) and at Illinois Route 176 on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94).
• A $3.1 million contract to Herlihy Mid-Continent Co., Romeoville, IL, for bridge and noisewall repairs on I-355 from 167th Street to the Illinois Prairie Path.
• A $2.6 million contract to GFS Construction LLC, Huntley, IL, for guardrail and drainage repairs on I-88 from Orchard Road to the Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
• A $283,189 contract with McDermaid Roofing and Insulating Co., Rockford, IL, for roof repair and replacement on five maintenance buildings on I-90 and I-88.
Professional services contracts awarded today include:
• $12 million for construction management services for the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project.
o A $5.4 million contract to Clark Dietz Inc., Chicago, IL, to manage roadway widening and resurfacing from U.S. Route 20 to Roselle Road.
o A $3.6 million contract to Collins Engineers Inc., Chicago, IL, to manage roadway rebuilding and widening from Meacham Road/Medinah Road to Rohlwing Road.
o A $1.8 million contract to Civiltech Engineering Inc., Itasca, IL, to manage reconstruction of the Devon Avenue Bridge.
o A $1.2 million contract to Hey and Associates Inc., Geneva, IL, to manage wetland mitigation work.
• $5 million for design and construction management services for the I-90 Rebuilding and Widening Project.
o A $2.5 million contract to Ciorba Group Inc., Chicago, IL, for design services upon request.
o A $2.5 million contract to SPAAN Tech Inc., Chicago, IL, for construction management services upon request.
• A $3.4 million contract to Robert E. Hamilton Consulting Corp., Joliet, IL, for document compliance services management for the Tollway’s Diversity and Strategic Development Department.
• A $2.5 million contract to Bloom Companies LLC, Chicago, IL, for ramp and pavement repair design services upon request.
• A $1.5 million contract to Aero-Metric Inc., Sheboygan, WI, for aerial mapping services.
Construction contracts for Illinois Tollway projects are competitively bid under the rules of the Illinois Procurement Code. As part of the process, contractors’ bid submissions for construction work advertised by the Tollway are opened and read aloud during public bid opening meetings, which are also broadcast live on the Tollway’s website. Following an agency review process, the lowest, responsible bid is presented to the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors for review and approval.
The Illinois Tollway provides detailed information about current Tollway construction contracts through the Construction Contract Tracker on the Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com. Contractors and consultants can also access resources online to help them learn about how to do business with the Tollway, including construction bid-letting schedules, professional service bulletins, manuals and construction bid calendars. These resources can be found in the “Doing Business” section of the Tollway’s website
Illinois Tollway professional services contracts are awarded through 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 on the basis of demonstrated competence and professional qualifications, rather than low bid.
Staff from the Department of Engineering checks statements of interest to ensure that specified pre-qualifications and documentation are met and then reviews and scores statements of interest based on the selection criteria outlined for each project. Executives from the Department of Engineering then review the scoring, as well as each firm’s capacity, and identify the top recommended firms per project.
To complete the review, a committee of Tollway professionals and independent engineering officials considers the top recommended firms and finalizes the top three firms in ranked order. The Tollway then seeks to negotiate a final contract price with the top-ranked firm.
About Move Illinois
The Illinois Tollway’s 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future, will improve mobility, relieve congestion, reduce pollution, create as many as 120,000 jobs and link economies across the Midwest region. Move Illinois will address the remaining needs of the existing Tollway system; rebuild and widen the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) as a state-of-the-art 21st century corridor; construct a new interchange to connect the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to I-57; build a new, all-electronic Elgin O’Hare Western Access and fund planning studies for the Illinois Route 53/120 Extension and the Illiana Expressway.
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80).
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