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IEPA flagged RBO language for SRF-funded projects; union-backed group urges keeping ordinance
Summary
At the Jan. 26 Evanston Referrals Committee meeting, Michael McNally of the Indiana-Illinois-Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting urged the committee not to adopt a broad waiver to the city's Responsible Bidder Ordinance (RBO). Later, Darryl King told the committee an IEPA email said the city's RBO language could not be included in projects funded by the SRF program, prompting a request for legal review.
At the Jan. 26, 2026 meeting of the Evanston Referrals Committee, Michael McNally, speaking for the Indiana-Illinois-Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting (IIFC), urged the committee not to refer a proposed waiver to the city's Responsible Bidder Ordinance, saying the ordinance "aligns with rather than conflicts with grant requirements and does not jeopardize any eligibility."
McNally told the committee the RBO addresses workforce, apprenticeship and local-hire concerns that are not properly handled through cooperative purchasing programs, and said a broad waiver would "undermine the labor standards that the council voted to adopt."
Later in the meeting, Darryl King, Water Production Bureau chief, told the committee city staff had sent the RBO language to the State Revolving Fund (SRF) unit grant manager and received an email back from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) saying the provided RBO language "will not be able to be included in any projects funded by the SRF program." King said that email prompted staff to seek clarification about SRF grant and 0% loan eligibility for lead service line replacement projects.
Committee members asked staff to investigate the apparent inconsistency and to consult with outside groups; the chair asked IIFC representatives to remain available to help the city and staff reconcile the legal questions. No formal change to the RBO or an ordinance was adopted at the meeting; members opted to hold related items until legal clarity is obtained.
