McHenry County College: To Bid or Not to Bid

Chris Jenner reads agenda items before the meeting.

Chris Jenner reads agenda items before the meeting.

A lot happened at the McHeny County College Board meeting last week.

One of the more minor items, but perhaps significant for things to come, were new member Chris Jenner’s comments about a half a dozen non-bid items.

He didn’t question the legality of not seeking competitive bids, just the advisability.

“Just because we don’t have to bid something, does that mean we shouldn’t?” he asked.

Here are a couple of the items for which he thought bids could have been solicited:

  • Xerox Phaser Printer ($10,381.13 )
  • Upgrades to ventilation system of ceramics studio ($118,225)
  • Upgrades in the fire alarm system ($107,250)
  • Professional services to write the physical therapist assistant curriculum ($25,000)
  • Software and services for disaster recovery ($71,607.60)
  • MATLAB student and instructor software ($8,233.17)

The MATLAB software, it was explained, is used by local manufacturers.

Not on Jenner’s list was $8,792.70 of furniture.  Why that could not have been bid out or requests for proposals solicited is beyond me.  “KI of Green Bay, Wisconsin was selected to supply the furniture.”

The only explanation is, “The Interior Master Plan determined what furniture would be used and KI was the supplier of that furniture.”


Comments

McHenry County College: To Bid or Not to Bid — 6 Comments

  1. I would think that all of those items would have been bid out in order to avoid a suggestion of impropriety.

    Certainly they must have a policy on this which gives a dollar amount at which bids must occur.

    I am becoming so disappointed in some of the decisions MCC is making and their poor judgment calls.

    I am glad that we elected new Board members who have everyone’s best interest at heart including taxpayers who help to fund MCC.

  2. Agree, Ronda, Chris Jenner made a good point, which more public bodies should consider.

    Letting bids is fair, may save money, and, again, demonstrates open government.

    If you look at County, Township and other budgets, it’s questionable, to say the least, to see the hundreds of thousand of dollars going to the same individuals when bids are not solicited.

    Is it coincidence when those who get these contracts are often on campaign committees for the elected officials who purchased their product or services??

    “follow the money.”

  3. Agree with both Jenner and the writer.

    It’s a no brainer, maybe the high priced administrators are too busy doing other things.

  4. I believe the college board, after the General Assembly and a governor allowed it, voted to allow no-bid contracts under $25,000.

  5. Cal:

    Is that threshold in effect for all bodies?

    I thought municipalities was $20,000.

  6. Each type of body is governed by a different law. For K-12 school districts, it’s $25,000. For Community Colleges, it’s also $25,000: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1150&ChapterID=18 (110 ILCS 805/3-27.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 103-27.1)

    Sec. 3-27.1. Contracts. To award all contracts for purchase of supplies, materials or work involving an expenditure in excess of $25,000 or a lower amount as required by board policy to the lowest responsible bidder considering conformity with specifications, terms of delivery, quality, and serviceability; after due advertisement, except the following:

    And it goes on to list 13 exceptions. School Code also has several exceptions.

    Just because the law allows no bid contracts on certain things doesn’t mean you can’t (or shouldn’t) put them out to bid.

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