Procurement Advocacy

Contracting with the State offers extraordinary opportunities and formidable challenges. The opportunities stem from the billions of dollars that the State spends each year on goods and services from outside vendors. The challenges stem from the complex, nuanced and evolving set of laws, rules, policies and ethics requirements and procedures that together govern the procurement process in Illinois. For companies able to overcome these challenges, doing business with the State can be a highly profitable venture.

We have the knowledge and experience to help enterprises, both large and small, navigate the challenges and capitalize on opportunities of doing business with the State. We have represented clients in industries as diverse as pharmaceuticals, employee and retiree health, home healthcare, hospice, emergency medical services, correctional healthcare, transportation, construction, engineering, telecommunications, gaming, lottery, waste disposal, property management, information technology consulting, and information technology hardware and software sales and service.

We offer our clients a full range of services relating to procurement lobbying:

• We work with each client to develop a comprehensive procurement lobbying strategy tailored to the client’s specific needs, and we offer timely advice and assistance on every step of the procurement process.
• We identify potential opportunities for clients to do business with the State – even before such opportunities are formally announced – and we monitor official sources for invitations for bids, requests for proposals and other formal announcements.
• We help clients establish and deepen relationships with key state officials, consistent with the Illinois Procurement Code, to make sure these officials are aware of best practices in the industry for addressing present and future needs, including state-of-the-art information technology solutions, the latest and best research on the issues at hand, and potential funding streams from the federal government and other sources.
• We ensure that clients are able to take advantage of specific bid opportunities by analyzing solicitations, seeking clarification and additional information as needed, attending official meetings and information sessions with relevant agencies, and reviewing bid documents to ensure responsiveness to the request for bids and compliance with all relevant laws and rules.
• We assist successful bidders by helping negotiate and draft procurement contracts, defend awards challenged by losing bidders or third parties, assist with contract performance and audit issues and provide ongoing support in maintaining effective relationships with the State.
• When necessary, we help clients with bid protests by performing a comprehensive compliance review of the solicitation, obtaining relevant documents under the Freedom of Information Act, drafting the bid protest and providing ongoing advocacy in support of the bid protest.
• We guide clients through the rigorous requirements of the Illinois Minority and Female Business Enterprise Program (BEP), including the identification of appropriate minority partners and the negotiation of joint venture or subcontractor agreements. Where appropriate, we will assist clients in becoming BEP-certified.

As one of the few Chicago law firms with a full-time, year-round office in Springfield, Freeborn is well-positioned to provide clients with the advice and support they need to do business with the State of Illinois.