The Illinois Tollway is seeking firms to provide planning, design, construction management and technical services for 12 new contracts associated with its 15-year, $12 billion capital program Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.

The contracts will provide for nearly $79 million in engineering professional services for projects systemwide and new projects including construction of the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project and the rebuilding and widening of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), as well as additional planning for the extension of Illinois Route 53/120 into Lake County.

“These new contracts represent nearly $79 million in capital investments to our system and include opportunities for smaller businesses in keeping with our commitment to ensure that everyone has a chance to benefit from Move Illinois,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur in a press release. “We hope to be able to attract a diverse group of businesses to work on these projects, including the first construction contracts to be awarded by the Tollway for the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project.”

Contracts being advertised include the following:

• Two contracts for construction management for the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project, including improvements to interchange ramps at I-290.
• A contract for construction management for upcoming construction on I-90, including improvements to the Lee Street Interchange.
• A contract for environmental and engineering studies related to the Illinois Route 53/120 corridor.
• A contract for design services for the reconstruction of seven Tollway maintenance facilities.
• A contract to provide network support and technical guidance for the Tollway’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) network.
• A contract for pavement management services to assist the Tollway in monitoring and maintaining roadway pavement.Five design and construction management contracts for miscellaneous repair and improvement projects.
• Firms interested in submitting a proposal can visit the “Doing Business” section on the Tollway’s website www.illinoistollway.com ^[1]for more information.

Submissions are due November 19, and contracts with selected firms will be awarded by the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors in the coming months, with work starting in early 2013.

Illinois Tollway professional services contracts are awarded through the qualifications-based selection (QBS) 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.

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.