The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced last Friday it will issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on Friday, Nov. 8, seeking submission of qualifications by private industry partners to design, build, finance, maintain and operate the Illinois portion of the Illiana Corridor utilizing an Availability Payment structure.

Interested firms or project teams will be asked for a Statement of Qualifications that will be used to determine their eligibility in the upcoming Public Private Partnership (P3) process.

The Indiana portion of the project will be developed later under a separate P3 project with procurement by the Indiana Finance Authority and the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Private sector participation is being sought to spur innovation that will lead to delivery of the Illiana Expressway more quickly and efficiently, and at less cost.

To ensure coordination of the multi-state Illiana Corridor Project, IDOT and INDOT are working together to coordinate technical requirements, tolling policy, the federal environmental approval process, and construction schedules.

Following the release of the RFQ, IDOT will host an Outreach Event for Illinois Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and other industry firms interested in bidding on work for the project. The event will be held December 4, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Joliet.

In mid October, the Policy Committee of the Chicago Metro Agency for Planning (CMAP) gave final green light to the construction of the proposed Illiana Expressway.