FOIA Request to City of Auburn regarding procurement bids and RFP submissions on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Prairie State Wire to the City of Auburn, Illinois, seeking access to specific records related to procurement bids and responses to requests for proposals (RFPs) received by the city during the immediately preceding calendar month. The request was made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format.
The records requested include details such as solicitation or project titles, names of bidders or proposers, submission dates, bid amounts or proposed costs, and descriptions of the goods or services proposed. The aim is to gather information that is of public interest and disseminate it to the public. The request emphasizes that it seeks existing records only and does not require the creation of new documents.
Prairie State Wire has expressed its role as a media organization committed to providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. As part of their journalistic duties, they seek access to public records to hold public institutions accountable and ensure transparency. Given this context, they have requested a fee waiver based on their status as media professionals.
Additionally, Prairie State Wire is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website here.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
