FOIA Request to Hardin County regarding procurement bids and RFP submissions on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Hardin County, Illinois, by Southern Illinois News on February 1, 2026. The request seeks access to records related to procurement bids and responses to requests for proposals (RFPs) received by the county during the immediately preceding calendar month. The requested records are sought in electronic format where available.
The specific information requested includes the solicitation or project title, names of bidders or proposers, submission dates, bid amounts or proposed costs, and descriptions of the goods or services proposed. This request is aimed at gathering information of public interest for dissemination to the public. It emphasizes that it does not require the creation of new documents but only seeks existing records.
The requester has asked that if any portion of this request is denied or withheld, Hardin County should provide the specific statutory basis for such denial and release all reasonably segregable portions of the records. As a member of the media involved in reporting news to the public, Southern Illinois News has requested a fee waiver based on their role in providing transparency and holding public institutions accountable.
Southern Illinois News is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
The average student-to-teacher ratio in Hardin County was 14-to-1 in the 2022-23 school year, with 530 students enrolled and 39 full-time faculty members across the county’s schools.
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.
