FOIA Request to Pope County regarding procurement bids and RFP submissions on February 1, 2026.
A request for information under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act was submitted by Southern Illinois News to Pope County 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 include details such as 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 purpose of this request is to gather information of public interest for dissemination to the public. It specifically targets existing records and does not require the creation of new documents.
Southern Illinois News has expressed its willingness to receive these records in electronic format if available. They have also requested that if any portion of this request is denied or withheld, Pope County should provide the specific statutory basis for the denial and release all reasonably segregable portions of the records.
The requester, a member of The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies—has emphasized their role in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency. They have also indicated eligibility for a fee waiver as a media professional due to their involvement in gathering and reporting news.
Pope County, located in Illinois, had an average student-to-teacher ratio of 13-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year with 475 students enrolled across its schools. This FOIA request is part of ongoing efforts by Southern Illinois News to ensure transparency within local governmental affairs.
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.
