Riverwoods trustees direct staff to define scope of services for village contractor, weigh RFQ

Trustees of the Village of Riverwoods voted to direct staff to define the scope of services currently provided by the village’s contracted service provider and to document transition issues and risks as a basis for deciding whether to pursue a request for qualifications or a request for proposals.

The action grew out of a negotiating‑committee review that examined a contractor spreadsheet projecting discounted rates over five years. The committee and staff said the contractor’s submission did not explicitly request a five‑year agreement and did not clarify changes to the village’s short exit window (currently seven days). Director Witt told trustees that an orderly transition is possible but flagged reporting obligations (for example, Illinois EPA filings) and other risks to continuity.

Trustees discussed interim steps to avoid service lapses, noting the village is currently paying the 2025 rates while no new contract has been executed at the board level. The board debated whether to accept the contractor’s latest proposal, present a counteroffer, or systematically solicit other vendors. Trustees suggested market checks—reviewing publicly available contracts and rate sheets—would be one way to benchmark rates without a formal RFP.

After discussion, a trustee moved to direct staff to prepare a detailed scope of services and the requirements the village would need for a potential RFP/RFQ; the motion was seconded and approved verbally by the board. The directive is procedural: staff will compile scope and pricing information for further analysis before trustees consider any contract extension, counterproposal or formal procurement.

Next steps: staff will draft the scope-of‑services document, gather comparable contract and rate data, and return to the negotiating team or board for further direction. No final procurement award or contract change was authorized at the Feb. 3 meeting.