FOIA Request to City of Wilson regarding procurement bids and RFP submissions on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the City of Wilson by Old North News, a media organization dedicated to covering local governmental affairs. The request, sent on February 1, 2026, seeks access to records under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. ยง132-1. The specific information requested includes procurement bids and responses to requests for proposals (RFPs) received by the city during the immediately preceding calendar month.
The records requested encompass several details: 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 that holds public interest and disseminate it accordingly. It emphasizes that the request pertains only to existing documents and does not necessitate the creation of new records.
Old North News has expressed its willingness to receive these records in electronic format if available. Additionally, they have requested that if any part of their request is denied or withheld, the City should provide a specific statutory basis for such denial while releasing all reasonably segregable portions of the records.
As a member of the media involved in gathering and reporting news, Old North News has highlighted its role in ensuring transparency and accountability within public institutions. They have also requested a fee waiver based on their status as media professionals.
The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests. More information about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
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.
