“A former Illinois Tollway official and one of its major contractors violated agency rules in awarding a $35 million construction contract on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), according to a watchdog’s report Thursday.
Tollway Inspector General James Wagner said in a report to the tollway board that the agency’s then-chief of procurement acted improperly in allowing a prime contractor to violate policy regarding a disadvantaged business enterprise subcontractor.
State agencies require that these companies are given a share of work because they are owned by women or minorities.
The former official also acted inappropriately by sending a letter to the construction company and congratulating it for winning the contract on Oct. 2, 2007, three weeks before the tollway board approved the contract, Wagner said.”