Sole Source - Advanced Communication Engine (ACE)

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) awarded a sole source contract to Optum Government Solutions, Inc. valued at $7,472,214 for a one-year period from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027. The contract encompasses Advanced Communication Engine (ACE) Solution Maintenance and Support Services, iEDI Software Support Services, Informatica B2B and Power Center Software Subscriptions, SOC 2 Type 1 reporting, professional services for Enterprise Data Warehouse interfaces and analytics, and transition and decommissioning activities. The primary deliverables include maintaining the ACE solution infrastructure that supports managed care claim rejection and denial management as mandated under Illinois statutory authority 305 ILCS 5/5-30.12.

The sole source justification was approved based on Optum's status as the sole vendor with a fully deployed and operationalized solution integrated with Illinois' Enterprise Data Warehouse, provider billing workflows, and managed care organization routing processes. The cost breakdown reflects $4,769,099 for ACE Solution Maintenance and Support Services, $1,968,570 for professional services related to Enterprise Data Warehouse interfaces and analytics, $433,520 combined for Informatica software subscriptions, $180,845 for iEDI Software Support Services, $106,090 for SOC 2 Type 1 reporting, and $14,090 for transition and decommissioning activities. Funding derives from both state appropriated funds and federal sources. The procurement was approved by the State Purchasing Officer on February 24, 2026, and the Chief Procurement Officer on March 11, 2026.