July 8, 2023
Kane County now has a Responsible Bidder Ordinance (RBO). The RBO saves money
for our taxpayers, ensures quality workmanship on our construction projects, and makes
sure that our construction workforce is treated fairly and with the best opportunities for
training and safety.
Our Responsible Bidder Ordinance (RBO) is a policy that applies to nearly all large Kane
County Public Works projects. The RBO creates the standards that a contractor must
meet to bid on one of our large construction projects. These are common sense standards,
such as having a valid Illinois State business license and disclosing any prior legal
problems. It also requires the contractor to provide proof of Workman’s Compensation
Insurance and assures compliance with Illinois’ Prevailing Wage policy to both provide
protection for the county and fairness to workers. Our RBO also includes a requirement
that the contractor participate in a US Department of Labor approved apprenticeship
program, union or non-union, improving the training and skills of our workforce and
ensuring quality workmanship on our large county projects.
A Responsible Bidder Ordinance is a kind of “insurance policy” for our taxpayers. In a
“lowest bidder wins” scenario, contractors can be encouraged to cut corners to win a bid,
which can result in poor workmanship and projects budget overruns and delayed
productions schedules. A Responsible Bidder Ordinance improves working conditions
and quality of life for our workers, and an environment for safer, longer lasting
infrastructure for our County, without adding any additional costs. In fact several studies
have shown that Responsible Bidder Ordinances do not add to the cost of government
projects.
Kious for Kane 