2027-35-002 EPS 7.28.26 -v-26-1-5-11-26 APO signed.pdf

EMERGENCY PURCHASE STATEMENT

Page 1 of 3State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services Emergency Purchase Statement v.26.1

Emergency Purchases are conducted pursuant to 30 ILCS 500/20-30 and 44 Ill. Adm. Code 1.2030.

Zip: 70809State:LACity:Baton RougeAddress: 8440 Jefferson Highway

Vendor: Keystone Peer Review Organization, LLC dba Acentra Holdings, LLC

Zip: 62704State: ILCity:SpringfieldAddress: 201 S. Grand Ave E

Division: Bureau of Quality ManagementAgency: Healthcare and Family Services

Emergency Purchase Details BidBuy Reference #: B- 27-478HFS-MEDPR-B-53500

Emergency Condition (select the appropriate option from the drop-down menu below):

To prevent or minimize serious disruption in critical State services that affect health, safety, or collection of substantial State revenues

Provide a description and reasons for needing this emergency purchase:

HFS requires uninterrupted quality improvement and utilization management services to support federally required Medicaid review functions. These services include medical-necessity determinations, prior authorization and utilization review, quality-of-care review, and related provider support.

An emergency contract is necessary to prevent a lapse in these time-sensitive services while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transition to a long-term contract.

Provide the conditions and circumstances that led to the need for this emergency purchase:

The initial term of the competitively procured contract with eQHealth Solutions, LLC, Contract No. 2021-35-001, for Quality Improvement and Utilization Management Services expired on October 29, 2025.

HFS had anticipated exercising the available renewal options and completing any necessary contractual updates associated with the organizational transition involving Keystone Peer Review Organization, LLC, an Acentra Holdings, LLC entity. However, BEP compliance issues were identified during the renewal review. Although the vendor provided some supporting documentation, the information submitted was not sufficient to support external approval of the CPO’s Good Faith Effort Contract Renewal Waiver and Concurrence. As a result, the required concurrence and other external approvals could not be obtained before the contract expired.

This is HFS' fourth emergency contract for these services (P-89214 & P-92134 & P-98987), P-89214 (1st) was unable to be extended due to inability to obtain required external approvals; P-92134 (2nd) was unable to be extended due to a significant number of contractual changes requested by the Vendor; P-98987 (3rd) was unable to be extended due to a prolonged negotiation process resulting from the significant number of contractual changes requested which ultimately led to the inability to obtain required external approvals to extend prior to contract expiration.

Reason for selection of this particular vendor:

Keystone Peer Review Organization, LLC, an Acentra Holdings, LLC entity, was selected because it is currently performing these services and can continue operations immediately without a transition period. The vendor has the established personnel, systems, processes, and program knowledge necessary to prevent a disruption in critical Quality Improvement and Utilization Management Services.

Selecting a different vendor for this short-term emergency period is not operationally feasible. A new vendor would need sufficient time to complete implementation, establish system access and data connections, transfer required information, train staff, and validate operational readiness before assuming responsibility for the services. Those activities cannot be completed before the current contract expires without creating a substantial risk of service disruption.

For that reason, the current vendor was selected to maintain uninterrupted services during the limited emergency term while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transitions to the resulting contract.

Page 2 of 3State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services

Vendor: Keystone Peer Review Organization, LLC dba Acentra Holdings, LLC

Zip: 62704State: ILCity:SpringfieldAddress: 201 S. Grand Ave E

Division: Bureau of Quality ManagementAgency: Healthcare and Family Services

Description of supplies or services to be provided:

The Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) vendor must provide utilization management and quality assurance services for Medicaid members across multiple levels of care. This includes medical necessity determinations and continued stay reviews for inpatient hospital care, as well as review and oversight for hospital outpatient services, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, long-term acute care hospitals (LTAC), and other community-based treatment settings. The vendor will also conduct pre-payment and post-payment utilization reviews, appeals and reconsideration reviews, and investigations into potential quality of care concerns. The vendor will operate and support the web-based referral and authorization platform, provide provider outreach, training, and technical assistance, complete standard and ad hoc reporting, and perform special projects as directed by the Department. These activities collectively support the State’s surveillance and utilization control program in accordance with 42 CFR Parts 475 & 476. Additionally, HFS requires this Vendor to transition all files/data related to these services to the Vendor awarded under the competitive procurement.

Emergency procurements shall be made with as much competition as is practicable under the circumstances, and agencies shall utilize best efforts to include contractors certified under the Business Enterprise Program in its emergency procurement process. 30 ILCS 500/20-30(a).

Describe the actions taken by the agency to make the emergency purchase with as much competition as is practicable under the circumstances:

HFS assessed whether competition could be obtained within the time available and determined that soliciting and transitioning to a new vendor was not practicable without risking a disruption in critical services. A new vendor would require implementation, system access, data transfer, testing, staff training, and operational-readiness activities that could not be completed before the current contract expires.

Accordingly, HFS limited the emergency purchase to the incumbent provider, which can continue services immediately using existing personnel, systems, and operational processes. The emergency term and scope are limited to what is necessary to maintain continuity while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transitions to the resulting contract. Pricing was reviewed and negotiated based on the services required for the limited emergency period.

List the actions taken by the agency that constitute its best efforts to include contractors certified under the Business Enterprise Program in this emergency purchase:

Under the prior competitively procured contract, the vendor was required to meet a 5% BEP participation goal. The first two emergency contracts, P-89214 and P-92134, retained the prior 5% goal.

For the third emergency contract and the current emergency contract, the vendor requested removal of the BEP goal, and HFS determined that a participation goal was not practicable given the limited 90-day term and the need to continue existing services without interruption.

The short emergency period does not provide sufficient time to identify appropriate subcontracting opportunities, recruit and onboard additional personnel, complete required training, and integrate new resources into the existing operations without creating a risk of service disruption. The emergency contract is therefore limited to continuation of the current services while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transition to the resulting contract.

Page 3 of 3State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services

Vendor: Keystone Peer Review Organization, LLC dba Acentra Holdings, LLC

Zip: 62704State: ILCity:SpringfieldAddress: 201 S. Grand Ave E

Division: Bureau of Quality ManagementAgency: Healthcare and Family Services

Is there an active State contract available for the required supplies or services? Yes No

This emergency contract was awarded on the earliest of these dates: (choose one) the State agency communicated to the vendor to start work Date Jul 27, 2026 publication on the Bulletin identified the selected vendor the contract was signed by both parties

Amount ($) of this expenditure is: $450,000.00 Amount is Actual or Estimated*: Estimated

*Pursuant to 44 Ill. Admin. 1.2030 (f)(5), if Estimated is indicated, an Emergency Final Cost form will be submitted by the State agency and published by the State Purchasing Officer no later than the tenth day of the succeeding month. If Actual is chosen and the total cost differs from the amount on this statement, an Emergency Final Cost form must be submitted and published within the same timeframe.

Select the type of funding to be used: Federal Funds State Appropriated Funds State Grant Funds Other

Signature This emergency purchase was made with as much competition as is practicable under the circumstances. Best efforts were utilized to include contractors certified under the Business Enterprise Program in the process.

I am authorized to make this emergency purchase, and I know and understand the contents of this statement and all statements herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Agency Signature: Title: Agency Procurement Officer

Printed Name: Monique Wantland Date: Jul 28, 2026

State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services Emergency Purchase Statement V.26.1 Page of

EMERGENCY PURCHASE STATEMENT

Page of State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services Emergency Purchase Statement v.26.1 Emergency Purchases are conducted pursuant to 30 ILCS 500/20-30 and 44 Ill. Adm. Code 1.2030.

Emergency Purchase Details Emergency Condition (select the appropriate option from the drop-down menu below):

Provide a description and reasons for needing this emergency purchase:

Provide the conditions and circumstances that led to the need for this emergency purchase:

Reason for selection of this particular vendor:

Description of supplies or services to be provided:

Emergency procurements shall be made with as much competition as is practicable under the circumstances, and agencies shall utilize best efforts to include contractors certified under the Business Enterprise Program in its emergency procurement process. 30 ILCS 500/20-30(a).

Describe the actions taken by the agency to make the emergency purchase with as much competition as is practicable under the circumstances:

List the actions taken by the agency that constitute its best efforts to include contractors certified under the Business Enterprise Program in this emergency purchase:

Is there an active State contract available for the required supplies or services?

If Yes is checked above, explain why the existing contract does not meet the need:

This emergency contract was awarded on the earliest of these dates: (choose one) *Pursuant to 44 Ill. Admin. 1.2030 (f)(5), if Estimated is indicated, an Emergency Final Cost form will be submitted by the State agency and published by the State Purchasing Officer no later than the tenth day of the succeeding month. If Actual is chosen and the total cost differs from the amount on this statement, an Emergency Final Cost form must be submitted and published within the same timeframe.

Select the type of funding to be used:

Signature This emergency purchase was made with as much competition as is practicable under the circumstances. Best efforts were utilized to include contractors certified under the Business Enterprise Program in the process.

I am authorized to make this emergency purchase, and I know and understand the contents of this statement and all statements herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

11.0.0.20130303.1.892433.887364

An emergency contract is necessary to prevent a lapse in these time-sensitive services while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transition to a long-term contract.

TextField4: The initial term of the competitively procured contract with eQHealth Solutions, LLC, Contract No. 2021-35-001, for Quality Improvement and Utilization Management Services expired on October 29, 2025.

HFS had anticipated exercising the available renewal options and completing any necessary contractual updates associated with the organizational transition involving Keystone Peer Review Organization, LLC, an Acentra Holdings, LLC entity. However, BEP compliance issues were identified during the renewal review. Although the vendor provided some supporting documentation, the information submitted was not sufficient to support external approval of the CPO’s Good Faith Effort Contract Renewal Waiver and Concurrence. As a result, the required concurrence and other external approvals could not be obtained before the contract expired.

This is HFS' fourth emergency contract for these services (P-89214 & P-92134 & P-98987), P-89214 (1st) was unable to be extended due to inability to obtain required external approvals; P-92134 (2nd) was unable to be extended due to a significant number of contractual changes requested by the Vendor; P-98987 (3rd) was unable to be extended due to a prolonged negotiation process resulting from the significant number of contractual changes requested which ultimately led to the inability to obtain required external approvals to extend prior to contract expiration.

ExplanationForSelectingVendor: Keystone Peer Review Organization, LLC, an Acentra Holdings, LLC entity, was selected because it is currently performing these services and can continue operations immediately without a transition period. The vendor has the established personnel, systems, processes, and program knowledge necessary to prevent a disruption in critical Quality Improvement and Utilization Management Services.

Selecting a different vendor for this short-term emergency period is not operationally feasible. A new vendor would need sufficient time to complete implementation, establish system access and data connections, transfer required information, train staff, and validate operational readiness before assuming responsibility for the services. Those activities cannot be completed before the current contract expires without creating a substantial risk of service disruption.

For that reason, the current vendor was selected to maintain uninterrupted services during the limited emergency term while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transitions to the resulting contract.

Accordingly, HFS limited the emergency purchase to the incumbent provider, which can continue services immediately using existing personnel, systems, and operational processes. The emergency term and scope are limited to what is necessary to maintain continuity while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transitions to the resulting contract. Pricing was reviewed and negotiated based on the services required for the limited emergency period.

TextField1: Under the prior competitively procured contract, the vendor was required to meet a 5% BEP participation goal. The first two emergency contracts, P-89214 and P-92134, retained the prior 5% goal.

For the third emergency contract and the current emergency contract, the vendor requested removal of the BEP goal, and HFS determined that a participation goal was not practicable given the limited 90-day term and the need to continue existing services without interruption.

The short emergency period does not provide sufficient time to identify appropriate subcontracting opportunities, recruit and onboard additional personnel, complete required training, and integrate new resources into the existing operations without creating a risk of service disruption. The emergency contract is therefore limited to continuation of the current services while HFS completes the competitive procurement and transition to the resulting contract.