B-51694 JPMC Internal Auditing RFP Final Draft 7.17.26~1.docx

Department of Central Management Services Request for Proposal JPMC Internal Auditing

26-416CMS-BOSS4-B-51694

Section A. SCOPE OF WORK

A.1. OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE

This solicitation is issued by Central Management Services in cooperation and agreement with the Chief Procurement Officer for General Services. The purpose of this solicitation is to establish a Joint Purchasing Master Contract that enables CMS and government units to purchase internal auditing services on an as-needed basis during the contract period.

Offeror agrees to extend all terms and conditions, specifications, and pricing or discounts specified in the contract for the items in the contract to all governmental units. All terms and conditions in the contract shall apply with full force and effect to all purchase orders issued against this contract.

The supplies or services subject to the resulting contract shall be distributed or rendered directly to each governmental unit. Vendor shall bill each governmental unit separately for its actual share of the costs of the supplies or services purchased. The credit or liability of each governmental unit shall remain separate and distinct. Disputes between vendors and governmental units shall be resolved between the affected parties.

“Governmental unit” means State of Illinois, any State agency as defined in Section 1-15.100 of the Illinois Procurement Code, officers of the State of Illinois, any public authority which has the power to tax, or any other public entity created by statute.

Governmental units are solely responsible for establishing, administering, and maintaining Internal Audit Programs that address financial, compliance, operational, and information technology audit requirements. CMS may provide advisory or administrative support as requested or required. While some governmental units maintain internal audit capabilities, others experience resource limitations or lack specialized expertise. This procurement is intended to address those gaps by providing access to qualified external auditing firms that can supplement existing resources and ensure consistent audit coverage across the State.

The selected Offeror(s) will perform internal auditing services. These services may include financial, compliance, and performance audits, as well as information technology reviews related to business owner responsibilities in accordance with the Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act (FCIAA). In addition, the Offeror(s), upon request, may be required to provide audit liaison support and respond to inquiries from oversight entities, including the Office of the Auditor General.

All audit work performed under the resulting contract must adhere to applicable professional standards, including Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), standards issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and other relevant frameworks such as COBIT and IRS Publication 1075, as required. The objective of this engagement is to strengthen internal controls, enhance accountability, and support governmental units in meeting statutory and regulatory requirements.

As prescribed in Section D.1 – Evaluation Process, the State may award multiple Offerors to ensure adequate delivery of services. If multiple awards are offered, the responsible and responsive Offeror with the highest overall score will be indicated as the primary vendor, the second highest scoring responsible and responsive vendor as the secondary vendor and the responsible and responsive Offeror with the third highest overall score will be identified as the tertiary vendor.

A.2. DESIRED OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT/ENGAGEMENT

CMS seeks to establish a contract that delivers reliable, high-quality internal auditing services that enhance oversight, strengthen internal controls, and support compliance across governmental units. Through this engagement, CMS intends to ensure that agencies have access to experienced audit professionals capable of performing audits in a timely, consistent, and effective manner.

The resulting contract will support improvements to the State’s overall risk management posture by providing participating entities with access to resources capable of identifying financial, operational, compliance, and technology-related risks and developing actionable recommendations that support informed decision-making. The contract is intended to support a broad range of internal audit needs, including financial, compliance, performance, and information technology audits, as well as risk assessments, risk-based audit planning, internal control evaluations, Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act (FCIAA) support activities, and other audit-related services that may be required by participating governmental units. Participating entities may also leverage the resulting contract to support organizational risk assessment efforts and the development of risk-based audit plans that help prioritize audit activities, allocate resources effectively, establish appropriate audit coverage, and address emerging risks and ongoing monitoring needs.

The resulting contract is intended to expand the State’s audit capacity, providing participating entities with a flexible resource that can be engaged to address fluctuating workloads, specialized audit requirements, regulatory obligations, and emerging risks. CMS anticipates that audit engagements will be tailored to the specific objectives and priorities of each participating entity through clearly defined engagement authorizations that establish scope, timelines, staffing, deliverables, and other project-specific expectations. This approach is intended to promote accountability, transparency, and effective management of audit activities while allowing participating entities to adapt services as needs evolve.

A.3. TERM

A.3.1. TERM OF THIS CONTRACT: The contract resulting from this procurement will have a term of seven (7) years commencing upon “the last dated signature of the Parties”. In no event will the total term of the contract, including the 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. NO RENEWAL TERM.

Section B. CURRENT CONDITIONS

B.1. OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND

The purpose of this solicitation is to establish a contract for internal audit support services that may be utilized by CMS and participating governmental entities. The selected Offeror(s) shall provide internal audit and related advisory services in accordance with the applicable policies, procedures, professional standards, and requirements of the requesting governmental entity. Services may include audit planning, fieldwork, documentation, reporting, and other related support activities as defined in individual work assignments or statements of work.

Each participating governmental entity shall retain responsibility for the direction, oversight, confidentiality, retention, and management of its own internal audit functions, records, and related documentation.

All audit documentation, work papers, reports, and related records produced in connection with services performed for a participating governmental entity shall be maintained in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, record retention requirements, and confidentiality obligations governing that entity.

B.2. AREAS OF CONCERN/CHALLENGES

Several challenges currently affect the delivery of internal auditing services across governmental units. These include limited staffing resources within certain agencies, inconsistent access to specialized audit expertise, and the need to complete audits within defined regulatory or operational timeframes.

Additionally, the nature of agency operations can create complexities in coordination, communication, and standardization of audit practices. Addressing these challenges requires a vendor that can operate efficiently in a dynamic environment while maintaining consistency in quality and adherence to established standards.

B.3. STRENGTHS

The State has established a strong foundation for internal auditing through its commitment to accountability, oversight, compliance, and continuous operational improvement across governmental units. Existing audit functions within agencies provide institutional knowledge, familiarity with agency-specific operations, and established processes that support financial, compliance, operational, and information technology auditing activities.

The State’s decentralized agency structure also allows governmental units to identify and address risks specific to their individual programs, operations, and regulatory environments. This approach supports responsive audit planning and promotes alignment between audit activities and agency priorities.

The selected Offeror will build upon these existing strengths by providing supplemental staffing capacity, specialized subject matter expertise, and scalable audit support services that enhance the State’s overall audit capabilities. Vendor support will help governmental units address resource constraints, improve consistency in audit execution, and strengthen the ability to complete audits within required timeframes. Additionally, the vendor’s expertise and standardized methodologies will support collaboration across agencies while reinforcing adherence to applicable professional standards, policies, and reporting expectations.

Section C. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS Only Electronic Submissions through BidBuy of Offers will be Accepted

C.1. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT

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

· Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure

· Technical response

· Offer to the State of Illinois

· Commitment to Diversity

· BEP Utilization Plan NOTE: Documents signed by persons other than the President, CEO, Owner, or Executive Director, should submit a signature authority letter with the bid.

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.

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.

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.

Price entries on the Items tab will be locked automatically upon submission of the quote. Entering cost, pricing or discount information in the Alternate Description may result in disqualification. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

OFFEROR INSTRUCTIONS TO SUBMIT IN BIDBUY

Create Quote:

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.

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.

: “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.

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

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 days from opening.

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

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

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

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.

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

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 7 calendar days after the pre-submission conference. 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

The Agency will 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.8. SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

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 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 7 calendar days after the pre-submission conference. See the Utilization Plan for NIGP codes used to establish this goal.

BEP Goal: 4%

The following NIGP Codes were used to calculate the Business Enterprise Program goal:

94620 – Auditing Services Go to https://cei.illinois.gov/vendor-resources/get-bep-certified.html for 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.

C.10. SECURITY

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.11. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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.

Section D. EVALUATION PROCEDURES

D.1. EVALUATION PROCESS

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.

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.

The State may award the most responsive and responsible Offeror whose proposal best meets the specified evaluation criteria. The State reserves the right to issue multiple awards. In the event of multiple awards, Offerors will be ranked based on their final evaluated scores and designated as primary, secondary, and tertiary.

D.2. RESPONSIVENESS

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. 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.2.2. 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.2.3. If completing IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, then responsiveness may include and may not be limited to:

· Active Illinois Procurement Gateway registration # with expiration date

· Certifications timely to this solicitation

· Disclosure of lobbyists for Offeror and parent entity(ies)

· Disclosure of pending and current contracts

D.2.4. If completing Vendor Disclosure, required parts may include and may not be limited to:

D.2.5. 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.2.6. 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

The Technical Requirements are described in Sections F.2. and F.3. The State evaluates the Technical Requirements without consideration of price.

D.3.1. Total Number of Points Available for Technical Requirements is: 500

D.3.2. Offeror shall complete and return Sections F.2., F.3.

D.3.3. Relative Weight in Point Format

D.4. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY ELEMENTS

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.4. and are equivalent to 20% of the Technical Requirements points. The State evaluates Commitment to Diversity without consideration of price.

D.4.1. The total number of points for Commitment to Diversity is 100.

D.4.2. Offeror shall complete and return Section F.4 Commitment to Diversity

D.4.3. 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 the Offeror meets the set goal for contracting or subcontracting with businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities or completed a Good Faith Effort Waiver for this procurement. 5%

Category 2 – Subcontracting/Contracting with any WMD businesses (not limited to BEP vendors) - Whether the Offeror has contracted/subcontracted within the prior calendar year with 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 - The vendor has provided a written copy/screenshot of their current written workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) policy. The policy provided must be actionable plans, not overarching concepts around DEI. 10%

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

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

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.5.1. The total number of points for Price is 180.

D.5.2. The State will determine Price points using the following formula:

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

D.6. MAXIMUM AVAILABLE POINTS

The maximum number of points is 500 (Technical) + 100 (Commitment to Diversity) + 180 (Price) = 780 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 https://ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Chapters . 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 and Illinois General Assembly - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.

E.2. PUBLIC RECORDS AND REQUESTS FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT

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.

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.

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

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

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

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].

E.6. RESERVATIONS

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.

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

The State is not obligated to award a contract pursuant to this solicitation. If the State issues an award, the award may be made to one or more responsive and responsible Offerors whose offers best meet the specified criteria unless otherwise permitted by the Illinois Procurement Code and Illinois Administrative Code.

The State may designate Offerors as primary, secondary, and tertiary vendors based on final evaluation scores, with the highest scoring Offeror identified as the primary vendor, the second highest as the secondary vendor, and the third highest as the tertiary vendor. Work will be offered first to the primary vendor. If the primary vendor is unable or unwilling to perform the required services within the State’s required timeframe or specifications, the State may offer the work to the secondary vendor, and subsequently to the tertiary vendor, as applicable. This is an indefinite quantity joint purchase master contract; therefore, no guarantee of work volume is made to any awarded vendor.

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(s).

E.8. INVOICING ADDRESS

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.

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

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) 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) 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

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. 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.

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.10.2. 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.10.3. 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.10.4. 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://pathway2procurement.illinois.gov/bidbuy.html

Section F. PROPOSAL FORMS Offeror must complete and return:

· The following three (3) tables include: Contract Requirements (Section F.1), and Technical Requirements: Mandatory Requirements with Evidence (Section F.2), and Proposed Technical Solution (Section F.3)

· Commitment to Diversity (Section F.4)

· Offer to the State of Illinois Please read and follow each instruction carefully.

F.1. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

Please read each contract requirement carefully in F.1. These contract requirements shall be included in any contract resulting from this solicitation.

CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

F.1.1. All audit services shall be performed in accordance with applicable professional standards and requirements, including but not limited to:

· Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS)

· American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) professional standards

· COBIT framework (where applicable to IT audits)

· IRS Publication 1075 (where applicable)

· Any applicable State or federal laws, regulations, or audit requirements

F.1.2. Upon request by the governmental unit, the Vendor shall provide documentation demonstrating that personnel assigned to perform audit services under this Contract possess the qualifications, education, experience, technical expertise, certifications, licenses, or professional designations required to perform such services.

Acceptable credentials may include, as applicable, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), or other comparable professional certifications relevant to the scope of work.

The Vendor shall maintain sufficient personnel possessing the licenses, certifications, professional designations, and technical qualifications necessary to perform the services required under each engagement. The Vendor shall ensure that all applicable licenses, certifications, and professional credentials remain current and in good standing throughout the term of the engagement.

Vendor personnel assigned to FCIAA-related engagements shall possess the qualifications necessary to perform such services in accordance with the Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act (30 ILCS 10/2002).

F.1.3. The Vendor shall respond to requests for information and cooperate with oversight entities, including the Office of the Auditor General.

F.1.4. The Vendor shall maintain complete and accurate audit documents sufficient to support all findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Documents shall include evidence of supervisory review and documentation supporting audit procedures performed.

F.1.5. Statements of Work executed prior to contract expiration may continue beyond the contract term; however, all work under such Statements of Work must be completed within one (1) year following contract expiration.

F.1.6. Governmental units may develop performance tracking tools, scorecards, or milestone-based reporting mechanisms for individual engagements. The Vendor shall cooperate in the implementation and use of such tools.

F.1.7. The Vendor must fully disclose the use of any artificial intelligence (AI) or automated technologies that will support or augment the internal audit process. The disclosure shall include:

• The specific AI tools or platforms to be used

• The nature and extent of their use

• Data governance, confidentiality, and privacy Protections

• Controls to ensure accuracy, transparency, and auditability of AI‑generated outputs Proposers must also comply with and adhere to the requesting agency’s AI Policy, including any requirements related to data handling, security, oversight, and responsible use of AI technologies.

By submitting an offer to this solicitation. The offeror agrees that they will meet the contract requirements in Section F.1.

F.2. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS WITH EVIDENCE

Please check “Met” to each of the mandatory requirements for the proposed solution. An Offeror that does not provide substantiating evidence for each requirement will be disqualified and the rest of the proposal will not be scored.

These Mandatory Requirements shall be included in any contract resulting from this solicitation.

Please provide substantiating evidence in your Proposed Technical Solution. Use the column on the right to indicate the section and page number where your evidence/response to each item may be found. The State will evaluate Offeror’s evidence/response to verify the mandatory requirement is met.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS WITH EVIDENCE

Proposal Section and Page Number

F.2.1. The Offeror shall provide a description of its internal quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) processes used to ensure compliance with applicable audit standards. This description shall include, at a minimum:

· Internal review and supervision procedures

· Quality control review processes for audit workpapers and reports

· Methods for ensuring compliance with professional standards

· Procedures for resolving audit findings or review exceptions

· Independence and ethical compliance safeguards

|_| Met

F.3. PROPOSED TECHNICAL SOLUTION – DESIRABLE ELEMENTS

Please explain how your organization meets or will meet each of the desirable elements. Use the column on the right to indicate the section and page number of your proposal where your response to each item may be found.

F.3.1. Offeror Experience Please describe relevant experience performing internal audit services, including:

· Experience performing government or public-sector audits

· Experience conducting financial, compliance, performance, and IT audits

· Experience working under Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) standards, and applicable regulatory frameworks

· Experience managing multi-agency or complex audit environments

· Examples of audit outcomes, including identified risks, control improvements, or efficiency gains

· Experience with oversight coordination (e.g., auditor general, inspector general, or similar entities)

F.3.2. Staff Qualifications and Capacity

Please describe its staffing model and provide qualifications of personnel who will perform services, including:

· Organizational structure and audit delivery model

· Resumes or qualifications of key personnel assigned to engagements

· Professional certifications (e.g., CPA, CIA, CISA, CFE)

· Relevant experience in governmental auditing environments

· Approach to staffing allocation, workload management, and surge capacity

· Ability to scale resources across multiple simultaneous engagements

F.3.3. Audit Methodology Please describe its audit methodology, including:

· Planning process and engagement setup

· Risk assessment methodology

· Fieldwork execution approach

· Communication of Audit results

F.3.4. Compliance and Quality Assurance Please describe its approach to:

· Ensuring compliance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), and applicable requirements

· Internal quality control and review processes

· Maintaining audit integrity, independence, and consistency

F.3.5. Project Management and Deliverables Please describe its approach to:

· Managing timelines and multiple concurrent engagements

· Tracking progress, hours, and deliverables

· Communication and coordination with governmental units

· Ensuring timely delivery of audit reports and outputs

F.3.6.

Tools and Innovation Please describe:

· Use of audit tools, data analytics, or automation

· Innovative practices used in government auditing environments

F.4. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

Commitment to Diversity Vendor Guidance including Vendor Submission Forms are located on the Chief Procurement Officer for General Service’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/commitment-to-diversity/c2d-guidance.html and on the BidBuy posting under “File Attachments:”

F.5. PRICING

F.5.1. FORMAT OF PRICING:

F.5.1.1. Offeror shall submit pricing in the Quote Items Tab on BidBuy, based on the terms and conditions set forth in this Request for Proposal Solicitation Document. Offeror’s price offer shall serve as the basis for the compensation terms of the resulting contract. Failure to submit pricing in the Items Tab on BidBuy may render Offeror’s entire Offer non-responsive and ineligible for award. Note: any pricing entered in the Unit Cost of the Items Tab will be locked until after Technical and Commitment to Diversity Evaluations are complete. 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.

F.5.2. TYPE OF PRICING: The Illinois Office of the Comptroller requires the State to indicate whether the contract pricing is firm or estimated at the time it is submitted for obligation. Pricing pursuant to this contract is estimated.

F.5.3. EXPENSES ALLOWED: Expenses are not allowed.

F.5.4. TAXES: Pricing shall not include any taxes unless accompanied by proof the State is subject to the tax. If necessary, Offeror may request the applicable agency’s Illinois tax exemption number and federal tax exemption information.

F.5.5. OFFEROR’S PRICING OFFER: The Offeror shall enter pricing in the line items of BidBuy. Pricing shall be proposed as hourly rates for each position title identified below and shall be segmented by contract year (Years 1 through 7).

The hourly rates proposed shall include all costs associated with providing the services described in this solicitation unless otherwise authorized by the participating governmental unit.