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The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced the receipt of Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from five teams to design, build, finance, maintain and operate the Illinois portion of the Illiana. The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) submittal period began on November 8, 2013 and ended yesterday, on December 19.

The qualifications submitted by the five teams will be evaluated by IDOT, then a list of teams chosen to move forward to the next procurement phase (short listed) will be announced in January 2014.

IDOT Secretary Ann Schneider said:

"We're very pleased with the level of interest in the procurement of the Illinois portion of the Illiana," said . "These teams are comprised of firms who see this project as a worthwhile investment and a benefit for the regional economy."

The list of teams bidding for the project is the following:

• Illiana Open Road Innovators

• Equity Members: SNC-Lavalin Capital, Inc., UIF GP, LLC (dba "Ullico Infrastructure Funds") and Zachry Resources, Inc.
• Lead Contractor: Illiana Corridor Constructors-Illinois (comprised of Zachry Construction Corporation, SNC-Lavalin Constructors, Inc., and James McHugh Construction Co.)

• Illiana West Mobility Partners

• Equity Members: Cintra Infraestructuras, S.A.
• Lead Contractor: Ferrovial Agroman US Corp and White Construction, Inc.

• Illinois Corridor Connection Group

• Equity Members: ACS Infrastructure Development, Inc., and Fengate Capital Management, Ltd.
• Lead Contractor: Dragados USA, Inc., F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielson & Associates, LLC, and William Charles Construction Company, LLC

• Illinois Mobility Partners

• Equity Members: Fluor Enterprises, Inc., and Plenary Group USA Ltd.
• Lead Contractor: Illinois Mobility Constructors (Fluor Enterprises, Inc., Lane Construction Corporation, and Granite Construction Co.)

• WM Illinois - Illiana Partners, LLC

• Equity Members: Meridiam Infrastructure Illiana IL, LLC, and Walsh Investors, LLC
• Lead Contractor: Walsh Construction Company, IL, LLC

The Illiana Expressway would run 47 miles from Interstate 65 just northeast of Lowell to Interstate 55, near Wilmington, Ill. It has a projected cost of $1.3 billion. It will be operated as a toll road.

The Indiana procurement will be handled separately by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA).  RFQ submissions for the Indiana portion are due by January 10, 2014.  IDOT and INDOT are working together to coordinate technical requirements, tolling policy, the federal environmental approval process, and construction schedules for the two-state project.

It is thought the teams bidding on the Illinois portion of the expressway are also likely to bid on the Indiana portion, because there will be obvious cost efficiencies in designing, building and operating both portions of the road.