District 65 Seeking Local Contractors for Foster School Work

Is this .. good governance? 🤯

I just wrote a story on the City of Evanston circumventing the bidding process for the new City Hall build out. This is a problem because it allows the City to bypass all the standard stuff that goes along with procurement, such as;

• Equal Opportunity & M/W/D/EBE Business Development

• Lowest Bidder Obligations

• Transparency and Conflict of Interest Laws

I was shocked delighted to get an email from District 65 this morning regarding the next round of bidding on the Foster School. The District is running an outreach event to encourage bidding and attract local or women/minority-owned businesses. I think this is good for many reasons, including cost - longer bidding windows with advertising, can only monotonically increase the number of competitive bidders.

You can view the flyer at this link.

I don’t normally like to carry water or do PR journalism but I think we should give credit when credit is due. This is the right thing to do and exactly what the City of Evanston should be doing, as a matter of business, especially with the new City Hall build-out.

Here’s thefull details on the event;

Upcoming: Foster School Contractor Outreach Event
On September 18, join Cordogan Clark and Evanston/Skokie School District 65 to learn about the new K-5 Foster School project in Evanston’s Fifth Ward and network with potential partners. The district is looking for interested bidders to participate in the upcoming bid opportunities; this includes engagement of local contractors and minority and women owned businesses.

This open house seeks to enhance visibility, strengthen economic viability, and create opportunities for contractors across multiple trades, including:

BID GROUP #2 - SEPTEMBER 2024

• Building Concrete

• Precast Concrete

• Structural Steel

• Site Work & Utilities

BID GROUP #3 - NOVEMBER 2024

• Millwork

• Fire Suppression

• Plumbing

• HVAC

• Electrical

• General Carpentry

• Roofing

• Windows/Store Front

• Curtain Wall

• Flooring

• Painting

• Acoustical Ceilings

• Elevator

The event will be held on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center (1655 Foster Street, Evanston IL). For more information, please contact Ben Nelson at bnelson@cordoganclark.com or 847-651-5020.