Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) A
licensed vendor or a graduate of training holding appropriate certifications
may bid on an available facility for which he or she is certified under Section
650.70.
Before a vendor may bid on a facility, a current annual evaluation is required
to be on record.
b) DHS shall send
notification of all facility openings to all vendors and to individuals
certified under Section
650.60.
The bid announcement will include:
1)
location of the available facility;
2) type of facility (i.e., retail, food
service or vending machine, or combination);
3) types of certifications necessary based on
the make-up of the facility (e.g., retail, food service or vending);
4) requirements of the vacant position based
on the type of facility and the conditions contained in the permit or agreement
with the management of the building in which the facility is located;
5) anticipated income from the facility based
upon profit and loss statements for existing facilities and projections based
on the profit and loss statements for the previous three to six months for new
facilities, if available;
6) the
date by which the bid shall be received, which date shall be within 15 days
following the date of notification. Receipt shall mean the bid is received at
Business Enterprise Program for the Blind, Central Office, 809 Commercial Ave,
Springfield IL 62703 by 5:00 p.m. on the date designated in the bid;
7) a statement indicating that the vendor may
submit a self-analysis of his/her performance;
8) the estimated value of inventory of
merchandise; and
9) the Program's
Bid Application (IL488-2048).
c) Every licensed and appropriately certified
vendor and appropriately certified graduate of training, under Section 650.60,
who has bid for an open facility must be interviewed in-person and evaluated by
the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee shall consist of: the DHS-DRS
Supervisor of Personnel and Training, who shall chair the Committee; a DHS-DRS
VR Counselor for the blind; two vendors agreed upon by the ICBV Chair and by
the Chair of the Selection Committee. In the event an agreement cannot be
reached by DHS and the ICBV Chair, each shall select a vendor.
1) Within 30 days after bids have been
received by DHS, the Selection Committee shall meet and complete its part of
the selection process.
2) The Chair
shall provide an agenda to the Selection Committee, set the location for the
interview, and ensure all relevant information and forms are available in an
accessible format as required by the individual committee member, which
includes:
A) a complete and signed Program Bid
Application (IL488-2048) for each appropriately certified applicant bidding on
the facility;
B) when applicable,
the most recent Annual Evaluation (IL488-2047) of each applicant prepared by
the business consultant. If available, a written analysis of the criteria in
subsection (d) of this Section, based on the applicant's previous 12 months,
shall be included with the annual evaluation;
C) Profit and Loss statements from the
preceding 12 months for each vendor bidding, or whatever portion is
available;
D) a written
self-analysis of performance during the prior 12 months (this requirement is
not mandatory but is highly desirable);
E) the bid announcement for the
facility;
F) Rating Forms
(IL488-2049) for the Selection Committee members; and
G) a copy of proposed Selection Committee
questions developed by Program staff and/or the Selection Committee.
3) The Selection Committee shall
review this Section and the procedures for the Selection Committee, interview
and score each applicant, and submit all completed Committee Member Rating
Forms to the Chair of the Selection Committee.
4) The discussions held during a Selection
Committee meeting shall be confidential (89 Ill. Adm. Code 505) and filed in a
separate file. However, the Selection Committee's numerical ratings, without
names or other identifying information, shall be made available to the
applicants upon request, if there are more than two applicants. An individual's
rating shall be made known to the individual upon request.
d) The Selection Committee shall assess the
following criteria, as applicable to the facility. The criteria are not listed
in priority order.
1) Customer Relations - the
ability to relate to and communicate with customers in a positive
manner;
2) Business Practices - use
of good business practices set forth in Section
650.100;
3) Reliability - the extent to which the
applicant carries out his/her facility responsibilities, in compliance with
this Part;
4) Discipline - oral and
written reprimands within the previous 12 months and suspensions imposed within
the previous two years from the date the bid is due. Information from proposed
disciplinary actions and grievances of those actions shall also be made
available;
5) Mechanical Aptitude -
the ability to operate and maintain the equipment at the current facility, as
well as equipment at the facility to be awarded;
6) Handling Equipment Problems - the ability
to determine and correct equipment failures in a timely manner;
7) Work Experience - the previous work
experience in the Program, including the kinds of facilities at which the
applicant has worked and previous work experience outside the
Program;
8) Employee Management
Skills - the ability to supervise employees and other leadership
abilities;
9) Organizational Skills
- the ability to plan, implement, and complete facility functions;
10) Physical Stamina - the ability to meet
the physical demands of the facility;
11) Orientation and Mobility Skills - the
ability to move about and function safely in and around the facility;
12) Employee Replacement - the ability to
locate and utilize temporary employees when necessary;
13) Operational skills - whether or not
operational standards (e.g. gross profit percentage, labor cost, menu
preparation, customer service) were met in previous facilities; and
14) Financial Management - sound fiscal
management of facility assets (e.g., handling cash receipts correctly,
preparing necessary financial reports, maintaining security of program
assets).
e) The facility
shall be awarded to the applicant who is most qualified for that specific
facility with the highest rating above 60% based upon the selection process
described in subsection (c)(2).
f)
If more than one applicant has received the same score from the Selection
Committee, seniority shall be used to award the bid.
g) If the scores by the Selection Committee
and seniority are equal, the licensed applicant who is not currently operating
a facility will receive priority.
h) If there is not a successful bidder (i.e.,
no bidder receives at least 60%), the facility will be re-bid.
i) Any applicant who is dissatisfied by the
bid award may appeal the decision under 89 Ill. Adm. Code 510.
j) Within two days after the decision to
award a facility, DHS will send the successful applicant a written offer of the
facility and a Vendor Agreement for that facility. Within five days after
receipt of the offer, the vendor must mail the signed Vendor Agreement and a
letter of acceptance to the supervisor. Within 10 days after receipt of the
offer, the vendor must notify the supervisor of the date of resignation from
the current facility; this date shall be no later than 40 days from the date of
the written offer. Failure of the vendor to provide a date of resignation shall
result in the effective day of resignation being the
40th day.
k) If the applicant does not accept the offer
within five days after the written offer, the facility shall be offered to the
next highest ranking applicant with a score of 60% or higher. Unsuccessful
bidders shall be notified in writing within two days after the acceptance of
the facility by the successful bidder.
