https://illinoisfoia.org/exemptions/7-1-h/ 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-81880/ 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z

A company requested emails from a state office regarding a cancelled bid, but the office denied the request. When the company asked the Attorney General's office to review the denial, the PAC determined it could not help because the request was for a commercial purpose. Under Illinois law, the PAC does not have the authority to resolve disputes over commercial FOIA requests.

https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-51776/ 2018-03-29T00:00:00Z

Reporters asked the City of Chicago for its bid proposal to host Amazon's second headquarters. The City refused to release the document, and the Attorney General's office agreed, stating that state law allows public bodies to keep such bids secret until a final decision is reached by the company. This means the public does not have a right to see competitive bid proposals while the selection process is still ongoing.

https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-43086/ 2017-07-06T00:00:00Z

Mr. Archey requested a copy of a proposed 'offtake' agreement between the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and BP. The District refused to provide it, claiming it was exempt from disclosure under section 7(1)(h) of FOIA because it was a proposal and no award or final selection had been made. The Public Access Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General's office concluded that the District did not violate FOIA by withholding the document, as the plain language of the exempti