2024-55-061_FINAL_IVV_RFP_12.23.24.pdf

State of Illinois RFP V.25.2

STATE of ILLINOIS Request for Proposal

Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Child Support Services (CSS) Child Support Automation and Innovation for Modernization (CS AIM)

Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Vendor RFP

2024-55-061 / 25-478HFS-CHSUP-B-45281

Section A. SCOPE OF WORK

A.1. OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE

A.1.1. Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is seeking the services of a qualified professional services organization to manage and provide Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) for the Child Support Automation and Innovation for Modernization (CS AIM) Project. The selected vendor will be responsible for specified independent verification and validation services in support of the development and implementation of a modernized Child Support Information System which will replace the existing Key Information Delivery System (KIDS).

A.1.2. The IV&V services address the system development life cycle from development plans and design through the implementation and warranty of the system, including federal certification support as described in detail in Section D.

A.1.3. Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) uses KIDS to administer its legal mandate to provide child support services to citizens, whether they receive public assistance or apply for child support services.

This automated caseload management system needs to be modernized to improve DCSS’s performance and replace an aged technology platform.

A.1.4. A feasibility study was conducted to replace the current system. The results of the feasibility study identified a transfer of the Florida Child Support Automated Management System (CAMS) as the preferred system alternative for replacing the existing system.

A.1.5. For the CS AIM project, DCSS will provide management, oversight, planning, and quality review positions. DCSS has already contracted with a Project Management Office (PMO) vendor, Quality Assurance (QA) vendor, a Design, Development, Implementation (DDI) vendor, and a Training and Implementation Support (TIS) vendor who are under the oversight of the DCSS Project Management Team, in addition to the Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) services requested in this RFP. The IV&V services will be provided concurrently with these other services.

A.2. TERM

A.2.1. TERM OF THIS CONTRACT: The contract resulting from this procurement will have an initial term commencing upon execution and ending forty-eight (48) months after contract execution. In no event will the total term of the contract, including the initial term, any renewal terms, and any extensions, exceed ten (10) years. Vendor shall not commence billable work in furtherance of the contract prior to final execution of the contract except when permitted pursuant to 30 ILCS 500/20-80.

A.2.2. RENEWAL: Subject to the maximum total term identified above, the State has the option to renew for the following term(s):

A.2.2.1. Renewal #1: Twenty four (24) Months A.2.2.2. Renewal #2: Twenty four (24) Months A.2.2.3. Renewal #3: Twenty four (24) Months

A.2.3. Pricing for the renewal term(s), or the formula for determining price, is in the Pricing section of this solicitation.

A.2.4. Any renewal of the resulting contract is subject to the same terms and conditions that apply to the initial term of the contract unless otherwise provided. The State may renew the contract for any or all of the option periods specified, may exercise any of the renewal options early, and may exercise more than one option at a time based on continuing need and favorable market conditions, when in the best interest of the State. The contract may neither renew automatically nor renew solely at the Vendor’s option.

Section B. CURRENT CONDITIONS

B.1. OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND

The CS AIM project is underway with established project management and quality assurance practices in place.

The initial planning phase and all associated deliverables have been completed and are being implemented through various project activities. The Donor System Installation is complete and there is continued progress in development activities including project development and training plans, hardware and software installation updates, requirements and design elaboration, data conversion preparations and testing activities. Functional and technical requirements and design deliverables are nearing completion, as is the initial development and unit testing activities. Planning for the User Acceptance Testing, Pilot operations, Training Delivery and Implementation has begun with the current projected implementation by May of 2026.

B.2. FIGURES, DIAGRAMS, & REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

B.2.1. Federal support documents for IV&V services provided with this RFP are guided by the full Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSS) IVV description, in the OCSS IVV Statement of Work Template, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/resource/ivv-statement-of-work-template. Please also see Attachment 4, IVV Statement of Work.

https://cei.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/cei/documents/bep-compliance/NIGP%20Code%20Revision%20Request%20Form.pdf

Section C. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Only Electronic Submissions through BidBuy of Offers will be Accepted

C.1. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT

C.1.1. The Offeror shall submit the listed documents in BidBuy under the Attachments tab in the appropriate “Required Attachments” spaces.

C.1.1.1. Vendor Disclosure

C.1.1.2. IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure

C.1.1.3. Offer to State (Including Subcontractor Disclosure and Where Services are to be Performed, found in BidBuy Attachments.)

C.1.1.4. Technical response (Section F.2, F.3 & F.4)

C.1.1.5. Commitment to Diversity (Section F.5)

C.1.1.6. BEP Utilization Plan (BEP U-Plan CSS IVV)

C.1.1.7. Reference Questionnaire (See Section G.1., Attachment 1)

C.1.2. Blank documents may be found on the Chief Procurement Officer for General Service’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html and on the BidBuy posting under “File Attachments:”. Business Enterprise Program/Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plan may be downloaded from the Commission on Equity and Inclusion’s website at https://cei.illinois.gov/purchasing-entity-resources/compliance.html.

C.1.3. Failure to submit Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, as applicable, and the Utilization Plan(s), as applicable, with the Offer submitted in BidBuy shall render the Offer non-responsive.

C.1.4. Offerors are required to submit their response to the State’s solicitation through BidBuy. Any information sent to the State outside of BidBuy, for example by US Mail, FedEx, UPS, e-mail, or hand delivery, will neither be accepted nor considered. Offeror submissions will only be considered if they are received through BidBuy and on or before the time and date indicated as the “Bid Opening Date” on the BidBuy posting. Any required attachments must be submitted via BidBuy.

C.1.5. Price entries on the Items tab will be locked automatically upon submission of the quote. E n t e r i n g c o s t , p r i c i n g o r d i s c o u n t i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e A l t e r n a t e D e s c r i p t i o n m a y r e s u l t i n d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n . If the agency requires pricing to be submitted in an attachment, Offeror shall upload pricing under the “Required Documents” section on the Attachments tab and check the box “Does the attachment contain any pricing, cost or discount information?”. Failure to check this box allows your pricing to be viewed when bids are opened and will result in disqualification of your offer.

NOTE: Do not check “Does the attachment contain any pricing, cost or discount information” if the attachment does NOT include pricing, cost, or discount information.

https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html https://cei.illinois.gov/purchasing-entity-resources/compliance.html

C.1.6. Documents shall be submitted in an electronic format that is accessible and readable using Microsoft Office suite software or Adobe Reader. Corrupted files shall not be considered. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to check that files are accessible and legible after uploading.

C.1.7. The Offeror is solely responsible for ensuring timely submission of their electronic solicitation response.

Failure to allow adequate time prior to the Bid Opening Date to complete and submit a response to a solicitation, particularly in the event technical support assistance from the State is required, places the Offeror and their offer or response at risk of not being accepted.

C.1.8. The State encourages the Offeror to ensure that their BidBuy account is up-to-date. It is recommended that you access your BidBuy account prior to the solicitation due date and time to make sure that your company’s information is up-to-date and your password is current. Files may be uploaded at any time prior to submission.

C.1.9. File size may impact the uploading and downloading speed and may lead to browser time-outs, resulting in failed upload/download attempts. Please consider this dependency when attaching very large documents.

C.1.10. OFFEROR INSTRUCTIONS TO SUBMIT IN BIDBUY

C.1.10.1. Create Quote:

General Tab : Save and Continue Items Tab Follow instructions in the Pricing section of the solicitation document as to whether pricing will be entered in the Unit Cost of the Items Tab or submitted as a separate Pricing Document in the Attachments Tab.

Note: any pricing entered in the Unit Cost of the Items Tab will be locked until after Technical Evaluations take place. Do not enter cost, pricing, or any discount information in the Alternate Description field. Entering cost, pricing or discount information in the Alternate Description may result in disqualification.

Terms and Conditions Tab : Select “Yes”, “No”, or “Yes with Exceptions” Note: If taking any exceptions to Standard Terms and Conditions an offeror must submit a redline version of the Standard Terms and Conditions with their proposal.

Attachments Tab For each required quote attachment listed:

: “Upload” (next to each required attachment) : “Choose File” Note: If a pricing document is required, mark the box next to the question, “Does this attachment contain any pricing, cost, or discount information?”

Failure to mark this box when attaching a pricing document will result in disqualification.

Check this box ONLY if a separate pricing document is required.

Do NOT check this box for any other required quote attachment such as the Technical Proposal, Vendor Disclosure / IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, or Utilization Plan(s), or Offer.

Summary Tab : “Submit Quote”

C.1.10.2. Offerors may also view the “Request for Proposal (RFP) Vendor Submission Instructions Video found at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/vendor-resources.html

C.2. DUE DATE AND TIME FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFERS

C.2.1. Each solicitation contains the Offer due date and time, appearing as the “Bid Opening Date:” on the BidBuy posting. Offeror shall submit Offers in BidBuy, and the State shall open Offers electronically in BidBuy on the “Bid Opening Date”. The Offer must remain firm for 180 calendar days from opening.

C.3. CONFLICT BETWEEN INFORMATION IN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS AND ON BIDBUY

C.3.1. If the State provides information in electronic documents (i.e., the RFP and other attachments) that is different or in conflict with the information the State provides on BidBuy, then the information in electronic documents is presumed to represent the State’s intent. If the Offeror provides information in electronic documents that is different or in conflict with the information the Offeror provides in BidBuy through their Seller Account, then the information in electronic documents shall represent the Offeror’s intended submission.

C.4. PUBLISHED PROCUREMENT INFORMATION

C.4.1. The State publishes procurement information, including solicitations, awards, and amendments, on the

Chief Procurement Officer for General Services’ Illinois Procurement Bulletin, known as the Bulletin or BidBuy (https://www.bidbuy.illinois.gov/bso/). Procurement information may not be available in any other form or location. Offeror is responsible for monitoring BidBuy. The State will not be held responsible if Offeror fails to receive the optional e-mail notice of future amendments to the solicitation.

C.5. INFORMATION CONTACT

C.5.1. The individual listed in the “Info Contact:” field on the BidBuy posting shall be the single point of contact for this solicitation. Unless otherwise directed, Offeror should only communicate with the Information Contact. The State/Agency shall not be held responsible for information provided by or to any other person.

C.5.2. Suspected errors should be immediately reported to the Information Contact. Do not discuss, directly or indirectly, the solicitation or any Offer with any State officer or employee other than the Information Contact.

C.6. OFFEROR QUESTIONS AND AGENCY RESPONSE

C.6.1. All questions, other than questions raised at the Pre-Submission Conference, pertaining to this solicitation must be submitted in writing to the Information Contact no later than January 14, 2025. Questions received and Agency responses may be posted as a Bid Amendment to the original solicitation on BidBuy;

only these posted answers to questions shall be binding on the State. Offeror is responsible for monitoring BidBuy and BidBuy email notifications.

C.7. PRE-SUBMISSION CONFERENCE

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp https://www.bidbuy.illinois.gov/bso/

C.7.1. The Agency may conduct a Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference, listed in the “Pre-Bid Conference:” field of the BidBuy posting. Please refer to BidBuy for this information.

C.7.2. If attendance is mandatory, Offeror (current contractor included) will be disqualified and considered non-responsive if Offeror does not attend, is not on time, leaves early, or fails to sign the attendance sheet.

Offeror must allow adequate time to accommodate security screenings at the site.

C.7.2.1. There will be an Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference on January 8, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.

Central Time.

C.7.2.2. In order to register and be forwarded the link to the WebEx meeting invitation, please send your business email address to the project contact Melissa Orrill at:

Melissa.Orrill@illinois.gov. HFS and its partners strongly encourage businesses to attend this important meeting in order to fully understand how to submit a quote and complete a BEP Utilization Plan and Commitment to Diversity forms correctly.

C.8. SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

C.8.1. In the Bulletin posting, if “Yes” is shown to the question “Is this a Small Business Set-Aside Procurement?”, then Offeror must be registered by the Illinois Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Offers are due for the Offer to be evaluated. For requirements on qualifying Offeror’s business in the Small Business Set-Aside Program, please go to the Chief Procurement Office for General Service’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/sell-2-illinois.html .

C.9. BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FOR MINORITIES, WOMEN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT PARTICIPATION AND

UTILIZATION PLAN

C.9.1. The BidBuy posting indicates whether this solicitation contains a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. If this solicitation contains a goal, then failure to complete and submit a Utilization Plan, including documentation demonstrating good faith efforts when requesting a waiver, shall render the Offer non-responsive. 30 ILCS 575/4(e). All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Information Contact indicated in BidBuy no later than January 14, 2025. See the Utilization Plan for NIGP codes used to establish this goal.

C.9.2. BEP Goal: 6%

C.9.3. The following National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) Code(s) were used to determine the 6% BEP goal for this procurement:

C.9.3.1. Consulting Services - 91871, 91888 C.9.3.2. System Requirements, Quality Assurance Review - 92065 C.9.3.3. System Implementation and engineering Services – 92064

C.9.4. Go to https://cei.illinois.gov/vendor-resources/get-bep-certified.htmlfor complete requirements for BEP certification. Go to State of Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion at https://supplierdiversitymanagementportal.illinois.gov/home.aspx to search for certified BEP vendors. If Offeror downloads forms from the CEI website, the Vendor must utilize the codes referenced in Section C.9.3. of the RFP.

https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/sell-2-illinois.html https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/sell-2-illinois.html https://cei.illinois.gov/vendor-resources/get-bep-certified.html https://supplierdiversitymanagementportal.illinois.gov/home.aspx

C.9.5. Businesses included in Utilization Plans as meeting BEP requirements as prime vendors or subcontractors must be certified as BEP vendors prior to the Bid Opening Date.

C.9.6. Prime vendors that aren't self-performing BEP firms select certified BEP subcontractors registered in at least one of the solicitation’s NIGP codes for their Utilization Plan (U-Plan). A non self-performing prime vendor may request to use different NIGP codes to identify BEP firms that can perform a commercially useful function under the resulting contract, as defined in the U-Plan, through direct participation via the NIGP Code Revision Request Form, which can be found in BidBuy. All requests must be submitted in writing to the Information Contact no later than the date indicated in Section C.6.1. If a NIGP Code Revision Request Form is received, the Agency may respond by Amendment to the original solicitation on the Bulletin. Offerors are responsible for monitoring the Bulletin.

C.10. VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION AND UTLIZATION PLAN

C.10.1. The BidBuy posting indicates whether this solicitation contains a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by military veterans. If this solicitation contains a goal, then failure to submit a Utilization Plan as instructed later in this solicitation may render the Offer non-responsive. All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Information Contact indicated in BidBuy no later January 14, 2025. See the Utilization Plan for NIGP codes used to establish this goal.

C.10.2. VBP Goal: 0%

C.10.3. Go to https://cei.illinois.gov/programs0/veterans-business-program.htmlfor complete requirements for

Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) or Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certification. Go to State of Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion at https://supplierdiversitymanagementportal.illinois.gov/home.aspxto search for certified VOSB and SDVOSB vendors. If Offeror downloads forms from the CEI website, the Vendor must utilize the codes referenced in Section C.9.3. of the RFP.

C.11. SECURITY

C.11.1. Bid/Performance Bond: $ N/A. If a bond is required, Offeror must submit the Bid Bond with your offer or

Performance Bond to the Information Contact within ten (10) days after contract execution. The bond must be from a surety licensed to do business in Illinois. An irrevocable letter of credit is an acceptable substitute. The form of security must be acceptable to the State.

C.12. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

C.12.1. Standard Terms and Conditions will become a part of any resulting contract. To view the Standard Terms and Conditions, please go to https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html.

https://ceibep.diversitysoftware.com/ https://cei.illinois.gov/programs0/veterans-business-program.html https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html

Section D. EVALUATION PROCEDURES

D.1. EVALUATION PROCESS

D.1.1. The State assesses each Offer for Responsibility (E.10) and Responsiveness. The State considers the information provided and the quality of that information when assessing Offers. If the State finds a failure or deficiency, the State may reject the Offer or reflect the failure or deficiency in the assessment.

D.1.2. There are three scored parts to each proposal – technical, commitment to diversity, and pricing. Each part of the proposal is evaluated and ranked independently of the other parts of the proposal. The results of the evaluation of all three parts shall be used in ranking the proposals.

D.1.3. The State may award to the most responsive and responsible offeror whose offer best meets the specified criteria.

D.2. RESPONSIVENESS

D.2.1. A responsive offeror is one who submits an offer that conforms in all material respects to the Request for

Proposal and includes all required forms.

D.2.1.1. The State will determine whether the Offeror complied with the instructions for submitting offers. Except for late submissions, and other requirements that by law must be part of the submission, the State may require that an Offeror correct deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

D.2.1.2. Subcontractor Disclosure: If the Offer includes any subcontractors, then Offeror shall complete the Subcontractor Disclosure section of the Offer to the State of Illinois.

D.2.1.3. If completing IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, then responsiveness may include and may not be limited to:

D.2.1.3.1. Active Illinois Procurement Gateway registration # with expiration date

D.2.1.3.2. Certifications timely to this solicitation

D.2.1.3.3. Disclosure of lobbyists for Offeror and parent entity(ies)

D.2.1.3.4. Disclosure of pending and current contracts

D.2.1.4. If completing Vendor Disclosure, required parts may include and may not be limited to:

D.2.1.4.1. Business and Directory Information: Offeror should complete and return the Business and Directory Information form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 1.

D.2.1.4.2. Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) Public Contracts Number: Offeror shall complete and return the IDHR Public Contracts Number form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 2.

D.2.1.4.3. Authorized to Transact Business or Conduct Affairs in Illinois: A person (other than an individual acting as a sole proprietor) must be a duly constituted legal entity prior to submitting an Offer and authorized to transact business or conduct affairs in Illinois prior to execution of the contract. For more information, see Authorized to Transact Business or Conduct Affairs in Illinois in Vendor Disclosure, Part 3.

D.2.1.4.4. Standard Illinois Certifications: Offeror shall complete and return the Standard Illinois Certifications form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 4.

D.2.1.4.5. State Board of Elections Registration: Offeror may be prohibited from making political contributions and be required to register with the State Board of Elections. For more information, see State Board of Elections in Vendor Disclosure, Part 5.

D.2.1.4.6. Disclosure of Business Operations with Iran: Offeror should complete and return the Disclosure of Business Operations with Iran form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 6.

D.2.1.4.7. Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest: Offeror shall complete and return the Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 7.

D.2.1.4.8. Taxpayer Identification Number: Offeror should complete and return the Taxpayer Identification form in Vendor Disclosure, Part 8.

D.2.1.5. The State will determine whether the Offer meets the stated Technical requirements. Minor differences or deviations that have negligible impact on the price or suitability of the supply or service to meet the State’s needs may be accepted or corrections allowed. If no offeror meets a particular Technical requirement, the State may waive that requirement.

D.2.1.6. When the specification calls for “Brand Name or Equal,” the brand name product is acceptable.

Other products will be considered with proof that the other product meets stated specifications and is equivalent to the brand product in terms of quality, performance, and desired characteristics.

D.3. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

D.3.1. The Technical Requirements are described in Sections F.2., F.3., F.4. The State evaluates the Technical

Requirements without consideration of price.

D.3.1.1. Total Number of Points Available for Technical Requirements is: 840.

D.3.1.2. Offeror shall complete and return Sections F.3., F.4.

D.3.1.3. Relative Weight in Point Format

Technical Requirements Points Available Mandatory Requirements with Evidence 0; all must be met and are evaluated as pass or fail Experience 260 Methodology 360 Vendor/Staff Qualifications 180 References 40 Total Maximum Points Possible

D.4. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY ELEMENTS

D.4.1. Sections 20-15 and 35-30 of the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500/) require offerors to be evaluated on their commitment to diversity. The points available for Commitment to Diversity are described in Section F.5. and are equivalent to 20% of the Technical Requirements points. The State evaluates Commitment to Diversity without consideration of price.

D.4.1.1. The total number of points for Commitment to Diversity is 168.

D.4.1.2. Offeror shall complete and return Section F.5 Commitment to Diversity

D.4.1.3. Commitment to Diversity Categories: The percentages at the end of each section reflect the weighted distribution of points available identified in D.4.1.

Commitment to Diversity Categories Category 1 – BEP Compliance - Whether or how well the Offeror meets this solicitation’s goal of contracting or subcontracting with businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities. 5% Category 2 – Subcontracting/Contracting with any WMD businesses (not limited to BEP vendors) - Whether the Offeror assisted businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities. 10% Category 3 – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Spend – Offeror’s percentage of business, education and/or community spend from prior calendar year gross revenue that involves businesses owned by women, minorities and/or persons with disabilities.

The assisted businesses are not required to be certified in the Illinois Business Enterprise Program. 20%

Category 4 – DEI Time - Offeror’s hours spent in the prior calendar year on promoting DEI in the workplace, the community, education institutes, or supporting businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities. The assisted business is not required to be certified in the Illinois Business Enterprise Program. The success or failure of each event does not impact the points achieved. The event may be voluntary or paid time. 20% Category 5 – DEI Policies - Entity has provided a written copy of, or link to, their current written workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion policy. Policies must be actionable plans, not overarching concepts around DEI. 10%

Category 6 – Diversity in Staffing - % of individuals on governing board and/ or Senior executives out of all staff who identify as women, minorities or person with disabilities. 10% % of individuals in management /supervisor positions out of all staff who identify as women, minorities or person with disabilities. 13% % of total staff who identify as women, minorities or person with disabilities. 12%

D.5. MINIMUM REQUIRED POINTS 706

D.5.1. Requests for Proposal may specify that offerors must receive a minimum number of points in their Technical and Commitment to Diversity proposals combined to be considered for price evaluation and award.

D.5.2. The State determines how well offers meet the Technical and Commitment to Diversity requirements and rank the offers from best to least qualified using a point ranking system (unless otherwise specified) as an aid in conducting the evaluation. Offerors who receive fewer than the minimum required points will not be considered for price evaluation and award.

D.5.2.1. The total number of available points for Technical and Commitment to Diversity is 1008.

D.5.2.2. A minimum of 706 of the available (Technical and Commitment to Diversity) points is required for price evaluation and award consideration.

D.6. PRICE

D.6.1. The State opens Price proposals after evaluating all Technical and Commitment to Diversity proposals.

D.6.2. If the State does not consider the price to be fair and reasonable and negotiations fail to meet an acceptable price, the State reserves the right to cancel the award and take appropriate action to meet the needs of the State. The State determines whether the price is fair and reasonable by considering the offer, including the offeror's qualifications, the offeror's reputation, all price proposals submitted, other known prices, the project budget, and other relevant factors.

D.6.2.1. The total number of points for Price is 252

D.6.2.2. The State will determine Price points using the following formula:

D.6.2.2.1. Maximum Price Points X (Lowest Price/Offeror’s Price) = Total Price Points

D.7. MAXIMUM AVAILABLE POINTS

D.7.1. The maximum number of points is 840(Technical) + 168 (Commitment to Diversity) + 252(Price) = 1260 maximum available points.

Section E. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

E.1. GOVERNING LAW AND FORUM. Illinois law and rules govern this solicitation and any resulting contract. Offeror must bring any action relating to this solicitation or any resulting contract in the appropriate court in Illinois. This document contains statutory references designated with “ILCS”. To view the full text, go to http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp . The Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) and the Standard Procurement Rules (44 ILL. ADM. CODE PART 1) are applicable to this solicitation. To view them respectively, go to http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=532&ChapterID=7) and https://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/044/044parts.html

E.2. PUBLIC RECORDS AND REQUESTS FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT

E.2.1. Offers become the property of the State. All offers will be open to the public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140) and other applicable laws and rules, unless Offeror requests in its Offer that the State treat certain information as confidential. A request for confidential treatment will not supersede the State’s legal obligations under FOIA. The State will not honor requests to keep entire Offers confidential. Offerors must show the specific grounds in FOIA or other law or rule that support confidential treatment. Regardless, the State will disclose the successful Offeror’s name, the substance of the Offer, and the price.

E.2.2. If Offeror requests confidential treatment, Offeror must submit additional copy/copies (see Instructions for Submission of Offers in Section C.) of the Offer with proposed confidential information redacted. This redacted copy must tell the general nature of the material removed and shall retain as much of the Offer as possible. In a separate attachment, Offeror shall supply a listing of the provisions identified by section number for which it seeks confidential treatment and identify the statutory basis or bases under Illinois law, including a detailed justification for exempting the information from public disclosure.

E.2.3. Offeror will hold harmless and indemnify the State for all costs or damages associated with the State defending Offeror’s request for confidential treatment. Offeror agrees that the State may copy the Offer to facilitate evaluation, or to respond to requests for public records. Offeror warrants that such copying will not violate the rights of any third party.

E.3. MINORITY CONTRACTOR INITIATIVE

E.3.1. The State requires a fee of $15 to cover expenses related to the administration of the Minority Contractor

Opportunity Initiative. Any offeror awarded a contract of $1,000 or more under Section 20-10, 20-15, 20- 25 or 20-30 of the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) is required to pay a fee of $15. The Comptroller shall deduct the fee from the first check issued to the Vendor under the contract and deposit the fee in the Comptroller’s Administrative Fund. 15 ILCS 405/23.9.

E.4. FEDERAL FUNDS

E.4.1. The resulting contract may be partially or totally funded with Federal funds. Upon notice of intent to award, the percentage of supplies and/or services involved that are Federally funded and the dollar amount of such Federal funds will be disclosed.

E.5. EMPLOYMENT TAX CREDIT

E.5.1. Offerors who hire qualified veterans and certain ex-offenders may be eligible for tax credits. 30 ILCS

500/45-67 and 45-70. Please contact the Illinois Department of Revenue (217-524-4772) for information about tax credits [35 ILCS 5/216, 5/217].

https://hfs.portal.illinois.gov/divisions/personnel/personnel/Pages/EmployeeHandbook.aspx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States?ActID=532&ChapterID=7)%20%20 https://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/044/044parts.html

E.6. RESERVATIONS

E.6.1. Offeror must read and understand the solicitation and tailor the Offer and all activities to ensure compliance. The State reserves the right to amend the solicitation, reject any or all offers, award by item/services, group of items/services, or grand total, and waive minor defects. The State may request a clarification, inspect Offeror’s premises, interview staff, request a presentation, or otherwise verify the contents of the Offer, including information about subcontractors and suppliers. The State may request Best & Final Offers when appropriate. The State will make all decisions on compliance, evaluation, and terms and conditions, and shall make decisions in the best interests of the State and in accordance with the Illinois Procurement Code, rules and other applicable State and Federal statutes and regulations. This competitive process may require that Offeror provide additional information and otherwise cooperate with the State. If an offeror does not comply with requests for information and cooperate, the State may reject the offer as non-responsive to the solicitation. Submitting an offer does not entitle Offeror to an award or a contract. Posting a vendor’s name in a Bulletin notice does not entitle the vendor to a contract.

The State is not responsible for and will not pay any costs associated with the preparation and submission of any offer.

E.6.2. Awarded Offeror(s) shall not commence and will not be paid for any billable work undertaken prior to the date all parties execute the contract, unless approved in writing in advance by the State Purchasing Officer or the Chief Procurement Officer (or designee).

E.7. AWARD

E.7.1. The State is not obligated to award a contract pursuant to this solicitation. If the State issues an award, the award will be made to the responsive and responsible offeror whose offer best meets the specified criteria unless otherwise permitted by the Illinois Procurement Code and Illinois Administrative Code.

However, if the State does not consider the price to be fair and reasonable and negotiations fail to meet an acceptable price, then the State reserves the right to cancel the award and take appropriate action to meet the needs of the State. The State will determine whether the price is fair and reasonable by considering the offer, including the offeror's qualifications, the offeror's reputation, all prices submitted, other known prices, the project budget and other relevant factors. The State will post a notice to the Bulletin identifying the apparent most responsive and responsible offeror.

E.8. INVOICING ADDRESS

E.8.1. The awarded Vendor shall invoice at the completion of the contract unless invoicing is tied in the contract to milestones, deliverables, or other invoicing requirements agreed to in the contract. The Bulletin posting contains the “Bill-to Address:” where invoices should be sent.

E.8.2. Vendor shall not bill for any taxes unless accompanied by proof that the State is subject to the tax. If necessary, Vendor may request the applicable Agency’s Illinois tax exemption number and Federal tax exemption information.

E.9. PROTEST REVIEW OFFICE

E.9.1. Offeror may submit a written protest to the Protest Review Office following the requirements of the

Standard Procurement Rules. 44 ILL. ADM. CODE 1.5550. For protests related to specifications, the Protest Review Office must physically receive the protest no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after the solicitation or related addendum was posted to the Bulletin. For protests related to rejection of individual proposals or awards, the protest must be received by close of business no later than fourteen

(14) calendar days after the protesting party knows or should have known of the facts giving rise to the protest. The Protest Review Office’s information is as follows:

Chief Procurement Office Attn: Protest Review Office Email: cpogs.pro@illinois.gov

E.10. RESPONSIBILITY

E.10.1. A responsible Offeror is one who has the capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements and who has the integrity and reliability that will assure good faith performance. The State determines whether the Offeror is a “responsible” offeror; an offeror with whom the State can or should do business. For example, the State may consider the following:

E.10.1.1. A “prohibited bidder” includes any person assisting an employee of the State of Illinois by reviewing, drafting, directing, or preparing any invitation for bids, a request for proposal, or request of information, or providing similar assistance unless such assistance was part of a publicly issued opportunity to review drafts of all or part of these documents. For purposes of this section, an employee of the State of Illinois means one who, by the nature of his or her duties, has the authority to participate personally and substantially in the decision to award a State contract. No person or business shall submit specifications to a State agency unless requested to do so by an employee of the State. No person or business that contracts with a State agency to write specifications for a particular procurement need shall submit a bid or proposal or receive a contract for that procurement need.

E.10.1.1.1. Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a vendor from bidding or offering to supply developing technology, supplies or services after providing the State with a demonstration of the developing technology, supplies, or services; provided the subject of the demonstration to the State represents industry trends and innovation and is not specifically designed to meet the State's needs. Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a person or business from submitting a bid or offer or entering into a contract if the person or business: (i) initiates a communication with an employee to provide general information about products, services, or industry best practices and, if applicable, that communication is documented in accordance with Section 50-39 of the Illinois Procurement Code or (ii) responds to a communication initiated by an employee of the State for the purposes of providing information to evaluate new products, trends, services, or technologies.

E.10.1.2. Other factors that the State may use to evaluate to determine responsibility include, but are not limited to: political contributions, certifications, conflict of interest, financial disclosures, taxpayer identification number, past performance in business or industry, references (including those found outside the Offer), compliance with applicable laws, financial responsibility, insurability, effective equal opportunity compliance, payment of prevailing wages if required by law, capacity to produce or sources of supply, and the ability to provide required maintenance service or other matters relating to the offeror’s ability to deliver in the quality and quantity within the time and price as specified in this solicitation.

E.10.1.3. Awarded offerors must always have financial resources sufficient, in the opinion of the State, to ensure performance of the contract and must provide proof upon request. The State may require a performance bond if, in the opinion of the State, it ensures performance of the contract. The State may terminate the contract, consistent with the termination for cause provision of the contract, if the vendor lacks the financial resources to perform under the contract.

E.10.1.4. The State may require that an offeror correct any deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

E.11. BidBuy Terminology and Guidance: BidBuy is an online e-procurement system. There may be some difference between the procurement terminology used in this solicitation and the terms used in BidBuy. Please learn more about BidBuy by accessing the online resources found here:

https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/PathwayToProcurement/Pages/Guides-and-Manuals.aspx

Section F. PROPOSAL FORM

F.1. Offeror must complete and return:

F.1.1. The following two (2) tables of Technical Requirements:

F.1.1.1. Technical Requirements: Mandatory Requirements with Evidence (Section F.3), and

F.1.1.2. Proposed Technical Solution (Section F.4)

F.1.2. Commitment to Diversity (Section F.5)

F.1.3. Offer to the State of Illinois

F.2. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. Please read each contract requirement carefully in F.2. These Contract Requirements shall be included in any contract resulting from this solicitation.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/resource/ivv-statement-of-work-template

CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

F.2.1. The IV&V vendor will provide independent verification and validation services for the CS AIM Project to accomplish a statewide child support enforcement system based on the Florida CAMS system. The Vendor shall comply with the requirements for the IV&V as set forth in the OCSS IVV Statement of Work Template, which can be found at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/resource/ivv-statement-of-work-template, unless specific requirements are otherwise stated within this RFP or resulting contract. The IVV Statement of Work Template can also be found in BidBuy, Attachment 4.

F.2.2. The IV&V Vendor will provide project management activities to support the IV&V services. The IV&V

Vendor shall:

a. Develop an IV&V Management Plan for OCSS and HFS approval, which shall include at a minimum:

i. An organization chart reflecting the IV&V Vendor’s team structure, including the team’s place within the IV&V Vendor’s corporate structure, and providing contact information to be used for dispute resolution and customer feedback;

ii. A schedule describing the IV&V Review periods, including tasks, activities, deliverables, and milestones, and the schedule’s critical path reflecting both IV&V Vendor’s and State’s delivery and response milestones;

iii. A narrative description of all deliverables, including expected format, content, and organization, to be developed and delivered during the IV&V Reviews; and,

iv. All applicable project lifecycle appropriate IV&V Checklist components to be utilized during the IV&V Reviews.

b. Provide the IV&V Management Plan directly to the cognizant Federal Office at the same time it is given to the State.

c. Provide a monthly status report to inform the HFS IV&V Contract Manager of current contract status, availability of IV&V Service Vendor key personnel, work and deliverables expectations prospective to the next 60 calendar days in contract schedule.

F.2.3. The IV&V vendor will compile and deliver the IV&V Checklist addressing all project lifecycle phases as identified in the IVV Statement of Work Template (See F.2.1). The Vendor shall:

a. Prepare the IV&V Checklist elements to be reviewed, observed, monitored, and commented on, in Question-and-Answer format.

b. Cross reference the IV&V Checklist elements to standards for Project Management, Software and Systems Development, and Engineering disciplines as found in IEEE, CMI, and PMBOK industry standards or approved equivalent.

c. Update the IV&V Checklist elements before starting an on-site periodic IV&V Review.

F.2.4. The IV&V vendor will conduct an initial assessment of the CS AIM Project and provide an Initial IV&V Review Report. The Vendor shall:

a. Use the OCSS approved checklist.

b. Begin the Initial IV&V Review onsite within 45 calendar days of contract execution.

c. Include in the Initial IV&V Review and submit to the IV&V Contract Manager, the following requirements:

i. A schedule of onsite review activities to be performed with State Project and Department.

ii. A list of Project Team and Stakeholder interviews to be performed, documentation required to review.

iii. A list of Project Documentation to be provided for IV&V Vendor review.

iv. A list of Project Meetings to be attended and observed by the IV&V Vendor. The list of project meetings may change according to project requirements and/or needs.

d. Review and analyze collected project artifacts and draft the Initial IV&V Review Report.

e. Deliver a draft of the Initial IV&V Review Report to Federal OCSS and IV&V Contract Manager at same time.

f. Correct mistakes of fact to the draft version of the Initial IV&V Review Report, append to the draft version all comments, and redeliver the Initial IV&V Review Report, marked as Final, to OCSS, the IV&V Contract Manager, and the CS AIM Project Manager per OCSS direction.

F.2.5. The IV&V vendor will conduct periodic IV&V Project Reviews and provide a periodic IV&V Review Reports. The Vendor shall:

a. Conduct a periodic IV&V Project Review on a quarterly basis after the initial project review and report.

b. Submit to the IV&V Contract Manager with each periodic onsite IV&V Review, the following requirements:

i. A schedule of onsite review activities to be performed with State Project and Department.

ii. A list of project team and stakeholder interviews to be performed, documentation required to review.

iii. A list of project documentation to be provided for IV&V Vendor review.

1. A list of project meetings to be attended and observed by the IV&V Vendor. The list of project meetings may change according to project requirements and/or needs.

c. Review and analyze collected project artifacts and draft each periodic IV&V Review Report.

d. Deliver a draft of each periodic IV&V Review Report to Federal OCSS and IV&V Contract Manager at same time, no more than sixty (60) calendar days after the start of the onsite portion of the periodic IV&V Review.

e. Correct mistakes of fact to the draft version of the periodic IV&V Review Report, append to the draft version all comments, and redeliver the periodic IV&V Review Report, marked as Final, to OCSS, the IV&V Contract Manager, the CS AIM Project Manager per OCSS direction.

F.2.6. The IV&V vendor will, upon request by HFS, provide a debriefing specific to the most recent IV&V Review Report. The Vendor shall:

a. Prepare and deliver a debriefing on the requested IV&V Review Report’s results to HFS and OCSS.

b. Conduct the requested debriefing within five (5) calendar days of delivery of the final version of the specific IV&V Review Report.

F.2.7. The IV&V vendor will, upon request by HFS, conduct one or more focused reviews and analysis.

Focused review requests must be germane to the IV&V review process and may include items such as:

network capacity, bandwidth and throughput analysis, and project deliverable compliance. In response to a focused review request the Vendor shall:

a. Prepare a Deliverable Expectations Document (DED), as defined in Section G.2.10.1 Agency

Definitions, to describe the IV&V vendor’s plan for the requested service and revise it as needed to achieve concurrence.

b. Perform the requested review and/or analysis.

c. Prepare and deliver a Deliverable Observation Report (DOR) to: OSCE-IVV Statement of Work

Template, (See F.2.1) addressing the requested service to the IV&V Contract Manager and OCSS.

d. Prepare and deliver a debriefing on the results of the DOR if requested with the concurrence and attendance of OCSS.

F.2.8. The IV&V vendor will provide a project documents archive for each IV&V Review. The Vendor shall:

a. Provide an archive of project documents, as defined in OCSS IVV Statement of Work Template

(See F.2.1) with each report.

b. Provide the project document archive for each IV&V review with a copy of the associated invoice to HFS and OCSS.

F.2.9. The IV&V vendor will adhere to the IV&V Format and Content Reporting Requirements in the OCSS IVV Statement of Work Template (See F.2.1).

F.2.10. Specific milestones and deliverables for this contract are identified below and based on the required supplies and services. All milestones and deliverables identified below will be required under the contract.

a. The IV&V Vendor shall provide the following in accordance with the identified timeframes or as directed by OCSS:

i. Submit the IV&V Management Plan within 30 calendar days of contract execution.

ii. Submit the IV&V Review Checklist within 30 calendar days of contract execution.

https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/vendor-resources.html

iii. Submit monthly Status Reports by the 5th business day of each month after contract execution.

iv. Begin onsite Initial IV&V Review within 45 calendar days of contract execution.

v. Submit a draft report of the Initial IV&V Review within 60 calendar days or as otherwise directed by OCSS/HFS after the start of the onsite portion of the Initial IV&V Review.

vi. Submit the finalized Initial IV&V Review and Report after the review, comments, and corrections approval to OCSS and HFS.

vii. Begin the onsite Periodic IV&V Reviews within six months, or as otherwise directed by OCSS/HFS following the start of the Initial IV&V Review. The reviews shall not occur concurrently.

viii. Submit a draft of the Periodic IV&V Review and Report, within 60 calendar days or as otherwise directed by OCSS/HFS of the onsite portion of the respective periodic review.

ix. Submit the finalized Periodic IV&V Review and Report after the respective periodic review, comments, and corrections approval to OCSS and HFS.

x. Submit report debriefing as requested by HFS/OCSS.

xi. Submit the Deliverable Observation Report (DOR) as requested by HFS/OCSS.

xii. Include document archives with each report submission.

b. No review will be considered complete until the approved documentation is delivered to and reviewed by the Federal OCSS and the State.

F.2.11. The IV&V vendor…