FOIA Request to Village of Winthrop Harbor 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 Village of Winthrop Harbor on February 1, 2026. The request seeks 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 requested information includes 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 made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format. The purpose of this request is to gather information of public interest for dissemination to the public. It is emphasized that this request pertains only to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents.
In the event that any portion of this request is denied or withheld, Prairie State Wire has asked for a specific statutory basis for such denial and requests that all reasonably segregable portions of the records be released. As a member of the media involved in gathering and reporting news, Prairie State Wire has also requested a fee waiver due to its role in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency.
The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found at this link.
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.
