Bid Intelligence
Public jobs for Illinois contractors: City of Chicago, Cook County and federal contracts ending in the coming months (and who holds them), open federal solicitations, State of Illinois building projects before they bid, IDOT highway lettings and who is bidding on them, Cook County's planned solicitations and intents to award, every bidder's price on past county bids, and any company's public contract history.
Get a weekly email of new contracts ending in your trades, open federal solicitations, upcoming state projects, and Cook County intents to award and planned solicitations (signed-in accounts).
How many companies bid on IDOT contracts awarded in the last two years. A single bidder means the low bid was the only bid: work where a new prime, or a subcontractor ready to bid as prime, would face the least competition. Of 2,019 awards, 387 (19%) drew a single bid and 642 (32%) only two.
By trade
| Trade | Awards | Single bid | Two bids | Bidders on average | Low bids, total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 129 | 33 (26%) | 26 (20%) | 3.1 | $1.4B |
| Concrete and paving | 776 | 157 (20%) | 229 (30%) | 3 | $3.5B |
| Landscaping and trees | 91 | 12 (13%) | 31 (34%) | 3.1 | $721M |
| Janitorial | 106 | 13 (12%) | 23 (22%) | 3.3 | $185M |
| Plumbing | 77 | 6 (8%) | 25 (32%) | 3.6 | $1.0B |
| Demolition | 13 | 1 (8%) | 2 (15%) | 3.9 | $181M |
| Painting | 85 | 1 (1%) | 12 (14%) | 3.8 | $236M |
Matched on IDOT's description of the work, so a contract can count under several trades. Trades with fewer than five awards are left out.
By IDOT district
| District | Awards | Single bid | Two bids | Bidders on average | Low bids, total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1, Chicago area | 556 | 44 (8%) | 106 (19%) | 3.8 | $2.6B |
| District 2, Dixon | 220 | 29 (13%) | 64 (29%) | 3 | $693M |
| District 3, Ottawa | 225 | 65 (29%) | 57 (25%) | 2.6 | $692M |
| District 4, Peoria | 156 | 48 (31%) | 57 (37%) | 2.3 | $583M |
| District 5, Paris | 93 | 30 (32%) | 31 (33%) | 2.3 | $354M |
| District 6, Springfield | 209 | 44 (21%) | 62 (30%) | 2.6 | $705M |
| District 7, Effingham | 148 | 44 (30%) | 42 (28%) | 2.5 | $439M |
| District 8, Collinsville | 211 | 53 (25%) | 96 (45%) | 2.2 | $952M |
| District 9, Carbondale | 199 | 28 (14%) | 127 (64%) | 2.2 | $630M |
Source: Illinois Department of Transportation, Contract Status and Transportation Bulletin, lettings of the last two years, read twice a day. Changes: bidder counts (IDOT lists the low bidder and the number of others) grouped by district and trade by us; districts named by their office.