Project Information

Bid Title

Invitation to Bid - Annual Recreation Program Bussing Service

Issuing Agency

City of Lake Forest

Location

Illinois

Published Date

Feb 13, 2026

Closing Date

Feb 27, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

description	Opening Date	Closing Date
Invitation to Bid - Annual Recreation Program Bussing Service	February 13, 2026 :	February 27, 2026 11:00 AM

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REQUEST FOR BID

Annual Program Bussing Service

February 13, 2026

The City of Lake Forest

Parks & Recreation Department

400 Hastings Road

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 234-6700

INVITATION TO BID

Sealed bids will be received for the City Council of The City of Lake Forest in the office of The Lake

Forest Recreation Department, 400 Hastings Road, Lake Forest, Illinois, 60045, until February

27th, 2026, 11:00 A.M. for:

One (1) Year City of Lake Forest Program Bus Service Contract as described in the Bid

Document. The bus service is for multiple summer camp programs, day trips and other general

programming needs sponsored by; The Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department, 400

Hastings Road, Lake Forest, IL.

NOTE:

The bid opening will occur on February 27, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. in the Lake Forest

Recreation Department Conference Room at 400 Hastings Road, Lake Forest,

Illinois. All proposals will be publicly read at this time and location.

The City of Lake Forest reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or to accept the proposal,

or any item of any proposal, deemed by the City Council to be the most favorable to the interests

of the municipality. Each proposal shall be sealed and plainly marked with “City of Lake Forest

Program Bus Service”.

Bid documents and specifications are available for pickup at The Lake Forest Recreation

Department Main Office, 400 Hastings Road, Lake Forest, IL. Documents are also available for

download on the City’s website.

www.cityoflakeforest.com/doing_business/bid_opportunities.php.

For Publication: February 13th, 2026

2

City of Lake Forest Program Bus Service Bid 2026

BIDDING REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

The following requirements and instructions relate to the proper form and method for submitting the

Bid Proposal, the accompanying surety, the provisions for the letting of Contract and to such matters.

Agreement Terms

The City of Lake Forest intends to award a one (1) year contract to the winning bidder. The contract

terms will be set on the first day of fiscal year 2027, May 1st of 2026, through the end of our fiscal year

April 30th of 2027. If at any time during the contract, The City of Lake Forest is not satisfied with the

quality of services provided the contract can be terminated and re-bid. The City of Lake Forest reserves

the right to amend the number of buses and number of trips necessary from year to year based on

enrollment.

Preparation of the Proposal

Each bidder shall submit his proposal on the special form which is supplied by The City of Lake Forest

Parks & Recreation Department and attached to these specifications. The proposal must be received by

the date and time set aside for their opening. All proposals must be signed, in ink, by the proper officer

of the firm bidding. All bidders must supply three references from organizations that have used their

service within the prior three years. References must contain the name of the organization; name and

title of the contact person, organization address and phone number, dates organizations used service

and approximate contract amount.

Rejection of Proposals

It is the intention to award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder best to meet the requirements

of The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department. The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation

Department hereby serves the right to reject any or all proposals or to accept any proposal that in its

judgment will be in the best interest of the public.

Exemption from Taxes

Contractors and vendors supplying equipment and materials to The City of Lake Forest Parks &

Recreation Department shall not charge the Federal Excise Tax or State of Illinois Retailers Occupational

Tax, since The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department is exempt from these taxes.

Holding of Bids

The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department reserves the right to hold all bids for a period of

thirty (30) days after the date of receiving said bids named in the advertisement, and the bidder shall

not withdraw his bid during said thirty-day period.

Acceptance of Proposals

The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department hereby reserves the right to accept portions of

proposals based on low bid for the various items on the proposal form.

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City of Lake Forest Program Bus Service Bid 2026

Special Conditions: Summer Camps

1. All buses provided must be a 72-passenger capacity bus.

2. It is the responsibility of the Bus Service Provider to create and update all camp bus routes for

both camp sessions, when applicable.

3. Participant addresses for camp bus stops will be provided to the selected Bus Service Provider

by the end of the day May 29th, 2026. From then until the end of the first week of camp, any

additions or changes will be made by phone call or email, and changes will be expected daily or

weekly. The information included on the routes will be campers’ name, address, grade, camp

name and days of the week attended. The number of buses necessary may change with camp

enrollment.

4. The midday swim shuttle schedule is listed in this packet (page 6). The number of buses needed

for a camp or times of service may change based on enrollment.

5. Field Trip times listed in this packet are approximate. The selected Bus Service Provider will

receive from the Recreation Department a “Field Trip Destination List” by the 1st Monday in June

with a detailed listing of destinations and confirmed times. Trip destinations and number of

buses may change with enrollment.

6. Payment of tolls is the responsibility of the bidder, and all prices quoted herein must be

inclusive to this potential cost. The Recreation Department will be responsible for all parking

fees associated with excursions.

7. The City of Lake Forest and its Recreation Department will not be responsible for any fluctuation

in fuel prices after bid is submitted and for the duration of this contract.

8. Bus Service Provider must provide busses to the Recreation Department that are equipped in

accordance with and meets applicable minimum Federal and State safety standards (whichever

is most strict).

9. Buses must be equipped with a working cellular phone or two-way radio, and numbers must be

supplied to The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department if requested.

Insurance Provisions

As an outside contractor of transportation services, the Bidder awarded the contract will be required to

provide to The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department with proof of insurance by May 1, 2026.

The certificate of insurance will include the following information:

• Insurance coverage dates.

• Contractor particulars (address, phone, contact, signature).

• Description of services to be provided.

• Limits of coverage to meet our requirements as provided in the enclosed attachment XII A titled

“Insurance, Liability, Indemnity and Certification”.

The Bidder awarded the contract will also be required by the 1st Monday in June, of the current year, to

provide The City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department with written proof that each driver

providing services under the contract has a valid, unencumbered Commercial Driver’s License. The Bus

Service Provider shall also be required to warrant that it shall use only drivers, who are competent,

properly licensed and fit for the provision of transportation service for the children and shall

immediately remove from service any driver who ceases to be so qualified.

4

City of Lake Forest Program Bus Service Bid 2026

DAY CAMP ROUTE BUSSING DESCRIPTION

The winning bidder will provide morning and afternoon bus transportation for all McCormick

and All Stars & Beyond Day Camp participants who reside within the Lake Forest City limits, and

for non-residents who board on stops within The City of Lake Forest limits. The winning bidder

will be responsible for developing and configuring the bus routes for the camps as well as

adding any children to bus stops who sign up late. The city will provide one counselor from

each camp on each route bus for additional supervision. All camp routes will begin and finish at

Deerpath Park (North Pavilion). The drivers will pick up their counselor behind Deerpath

Middle School prior to the morning route and then return their counselor to the same location

at the completion of the afternoon route. After routes complete and drop off All Stars &

Beyond campers to Deerpath Park (N. Pavilion), buses will take the remaining McCormick

campers to their McCormick campsite.

All Stars & Beyond Camp is scheduled for eight weeks (6/15 – 8/7). This camp will also feature

a one-week Pre-camp (6/8 – 6/12) and two one-week Post-camps (8/10 – 8/14 & 8/17 – 8/21).

McCormick Day Camp is scheduled for seven weeks (6/15 – 7/31). The two camps will require

up to 6 total combined routes throughout Lake Forest. The Lake Forest Recreation Department

reserves the right to adjust the number of route buses due to camp enrollment. The winning

bidder will be transporting campers from kindergarten age through sixth grade. Campers will

come Monday through Friday, some in combinations of M-W-F, T-TH-F or T-W-TH. Campers

will go to one of two camps offered. The routes are set up so that they stop at both campsites

in the morning.

The routes will begin at approximately 8:00 a.m. with the children arriving at their camps no

earlier than 8:50 a.m. and no later than 9:00 a.m. The afternoon routes will all depart from

Deerpath Park North Pavilion at 3:00 p.m. for both camps to commence for the routes home.

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Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541519Other Computer Related Services
• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541990All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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