27- Westlaw Software-Sole Source

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has awarded a Blanket Sole Source Procurement contract to West Publishing Corporation for the provision of Westlaw legal research software licenses. The contract, identified as 27-444DHS-MIS44-P-96753, is valued at $113,520.00 and runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The award covers twenty (20) Westlaw Proflex licenses at an annual cost of $5,676 per license ($473 monthly per license), with no additional fees. The licenses are distributed across two IDHS divisions: the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (18 licenses) and the Division of Developmental Disabilities (2 licenses).

The specific product being delivered is Correctional All Primary and Analytical with Keycite Concurrent access on Westlaw (Product #41727130). The sole source justification was based on Westlaw's proprietary Key Numbering System and natural language search capabilities, which the agency determined are not available in competing products. IDHS cited statutory requirements for legal library access in Mental Health facilities and a longstanding settlement-based obligation specifically referencing Westlaw. The agency documented continuous use of Westlaw since 2020, with prior contracts totaling approximately $645,000, establishing user familiarity and operational integration as additional factors supporting the sole source determination.