How Illinois counties post bids (2026)
90 of Illinois's 102 counties (88%) don't use an online bid platform. They post bids on their own website, in the local newspaper or in County Board agendas, where vendors who only watch bid portals can miss them.
- 102Counties
- 12 (12%)Use an online bid platform
- 90 (88%)No online bid platform
- 51 (50%)List a purchasing email online
Bid platforms used
Counties that use an online platform, by platform. Some counties use more than one.
| Platform | Counties | Share of Illinois counties |
|---|---|---|
| BidNet Direct | 5 | 5% |
| County-run bid portals | 4 | 4% |
| DemandStar | 2 | 2% |
| Bonfire (Euna Procurement) | 1 | 1% |
Where County Board agendas are published
Board agendas often show a purchase (approval to advertise, a budget amendment, an expiring contract) weeks before the bid is posted.
| Agenda system | Counties | Share |
|---|---|---|
| County website (documents) | 73 | 72% |
| CivicPlus Agenda Center | 9 | 9% |
| Not found online | 8 | 8% |
| Granicus | 3 | 3% |
| Legistar (Granicus) | 3 | 3% |
| Other systems | 2 | 2% |
| CivicClerk | 2 | 2% |
| BoardDocs | 1 | 1% |
| iCompass / CivicWeb | 1 | 1% |
Counties without an online bid platform
These counties post bids on their own website, in the newspaper or at board meetings. Each link shows where that county posts and who to contact.
- Adams County
- Alexander County
- Bond County
- Boone County
- Brown County
- Bureau County
- Calhoun County
- Carroll County
- Cass County
- Champaign County
- Christian County
- Clark County
- Clay County
- Clinton County
- Coles County
- Crawford County
- Cumberland County
- DeKalb County
- De Witt County
- Douglas County
- Edgar County
- Edwards County
- Effingham County
- Fayette County
- Ford County
- Franklin County
- Fulton County
- Gallatin County
- Greene County
- Hamilton County
- Hancock County
- Hardin County
- Henderson County
- Henry County
- Iroquois County
- Jackson County
- Jasper County
- Jefferson County
- Jersey County
- Jo Daviess County
- Johnson County
- Kankakee County
- Knox County
- LaSalle County
- Lawrence County
- Lee County
- Livingston County
- Logan County
- Macon County
- Macoupin County
- Marion County
- Marshall County
- Mason County
- Massac County
- McDonough County
- McLean County
- Menard County
- Mercer County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Morgan County
- Moultrie County
- Ogle County
- Perry County
- Piatt County
- Pike County
- Pope County
- Pulaski County
- Putnam County
- Randolph County
- Richland County
- Rock Island County
- Saline County
- Sangamon County
- Schuyler County
- Scott County
- Shelby County
- Stark County
- St. Clair County
- Stephenson County
- Union County
- Vermilion County
- Wabash County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Wayne County
- White County
- Whiteside County
- Williamson County
- Woodford County
Questions
How many Illinois counties use an online bid platform?
12 of 102 (12%), based on FactWise's county-by-county research.
What is the most common bid platform for Illinois counties?
BidNet Direct, used by 5 counties.
Where do Illinois counties without a bid platform post bids?
On the county website, in a local newspaper and in County Board meeting agendas.
Method and citation
We checked each county's official website, purchasing pages, bid platforms and board agenda systems. A county counts as using a platform when its own website points vendors to it. Counts are recalculated from our database every time this page loads; county pages link to the sources.
You're welcome to quote these figures. Please cite “FactWise, How Illinois counties post bids (2026)” and link to https://www.faircounty.com/reports/illinois-county-bidding-2026.