FOIA Request to City of Newman 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 Newman, Illinois, seeking access to records related to procurement bids and responses to requests for proposals (RFPs) received by the city during the immediately preceding calendar month. The request aims to obtain these records in an electronic format under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140.
The specific records requested include 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 request is focused on gathering information that serves public interest and aims to provide transparency regarding local governmental affairs. Prairie State Wire has emphasized that the request is limited to existing documents and does not necessitate the creation of new records.
As a media organization dedicated to reporting news and holding public institutions accountable, Prairie State Wire has requested a fee waiver for this FOIA request. The organization asserts that access to public records is crucial for fulfilling its professional responsibilities in disseminating information to the public.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization based in Missouri that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating government actions through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
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.
