Selling to the MWRD
The MWRD’s public bidding process is designed to operate in an efficient, legal and cost-effective manner. It is the responsibility of the Director of Procurement and Materials Management and other officers of the MWRD, with policy guidance by the Board of Commissioners, to achieve that goal. The purpose of this guide is to familiarize the public with this bidding process and help potential vendors of materials, equipment and services sell to the MWRD.
The MWRD encompasses an area of approximately 883 square miles. It is one of the largest governmental bodies in the state of Illinois, with seven treatment facilities reclaiming nearly 1.6 billion gallons of wastewater daily.
Governed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners, policies and day-to-day operations of the MWRD are implemented by the Executive Director and nine operating departments, including the Department of Procurement and Materials Management.
The Director of Procurement and Materials Management is the chief officer of the Department of Procurement and Materials Management. The Director of Procurement and Materials Management is responsible for all procurement of construction contracting, services, products and materials used by the MWRD as well as supervisory management of inventory control and storeroom operations.
This guide discusses the procurement processes used to establish various MWRD contracts/RFPs, of which the spend often averages more than $130 million/year.
Vendor List
Placement on the vendor list grants prospective bidders access to procurement opportunities. A firm can get on the vendor list for materials, supplies, equipment and/or services by registering online. Simply click on Vendor Application Form and complete the vendor application.
As part of that vendor application form, complete the “National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP) Commodity/Service List” to indicate the materials, supplies, equipment and/or services that your firm can provide.
Once your vendor application has been approved, you will receive an email indicating your MWRD vendor number. A firm can also fax, mail, or email a vendor application, as per instructions provided in the Vendor Application Form.
A potential vendor then may receive invitations to bid, by email, when the MWRD seeks to purchase items or services within the firm’s designated area(s) of expertise.
Affirmative Action
As a public agency, the MWRD encourages full participation in the open bidding process. Its Affirmative Action Program is designed to increase participation of businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans in all MWRD procurement activities. The MWRD Diversity Section administers the Affirmative Action Program and provides technical assistance to majority contractors and minority, women, and veteran owners to help them meet the goals of a specific project.