Construction Law

Navigating Through Construction Projects with a Chicago Bid Protest Attorney

The majority of construction work requires firms to participate in a bid process. As construction professionals know from firsthand experience, the bid process can be a highly political endeavor that often requires firms to have valuable connections to place effective bids. At Cotney Attorneys & Consultants, a Chicago bid protest attorney can navigate you through this highly complex process and assist your business in protesting a bid that was unfairly awarded to a competitor.   

How Does a Chicago Bid Protest Lawyer Challenge an Awarded Bid?

In order for a procurement officer to consider a protest in the Windy City, a bid protester should partner with a construction attorney. A Chicago bid protest lawyer with Cotney Attorneys & Consultants can help you through each of these steps outlined by the City of Chicago’s Department of Procurement Services:

To be eligible to protest a bid, you must be considered an “interested party” meaning: 

• You were an actual bidder involved in the procurement process
• The decision of the awarded bid impacts you financially
• You have showcased that you lawfully abided by all bid procedures 

In order to successfully file a protest in a timely fashion, the information in the protest document must adhere to all requirements, and include a written statement stating the reason for the protest. 

Procurement agencies will only consider specific types of protests. Generally, these are related to fraudulent, corrupt, or illegal actions that impacted the integrity of the procurement process. The timeline to deliver a protest includes:  

• Pre-bid protests for any incident that occurred during the solicitation process must be filed five days prior to opening bids.
  
• Pre-award protests for any incident that occurred during the evaluation phase must be filed within 10 days of the time the bids were opened. 
• Post-award protests for an awarded contract must be filed within 10 days after the contract was awarded to a firm. 

To learn more about these requirements and deadlines, consult a construction law firm. 

If you would like to speak with a Chicago bid protest attorney, please contact us today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.