B-52678 SPO Signed Sole Source-WinWam Software Training Pt. I.pdf

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Attached to
Sole Source:AGR-Weights and Measures-WinWam Software
Solicitation number
26-406AGR-AGIND-B-52678
Issued by
Illinois

About this file

This is a Sole Source Justification Form submitted by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Weights and Measures, for the procurement of WinWam Software, licenses, and maintenance from Nover Englestein & Associates. The WinWam software has been utilized by the Weights and Measures inspectors since 2003 to document approximately 150,000 inspections annually performed on gas pumps, truck scales, and retail scales, and to generate inspection reports and invoices for device owners. The software includes Device Inspection Software, Package Checking Software, Questionnaire Deluxe Software, and Synchronization Software, along with associated tools such as Device Assignment Tool, Report of Unassigned Devices, and Online Device Inventory Tool Enhancements. The vendor will provide training, upgrade assistance, and installation documentation. The need was identified on August 10, 2026, with a required delivery date of October 5, 2026. The contract is structured as a one-time purchase with no renewal options, and the initial posting date was October 2, 2026, with a public hearing deadline of October 16, 2026.

The total contract value is $131,197.00, funded entirely through state funds. The significant price increase above $100,000.00 resulted from an unauthorized software modification by a former employee, necessitating a complete vendor overhaul; absent this modification, annual maintenance would have cost approximately $20,000.00. The justification for sole source procurement is based on WinWam's unique customization for Weights and Measures operations, its exclusive compliance with all three National Institute of Standards and Technology regulations (NIST Handbooks 44, 130, and 133) in a state government environment, and the practical impossibility of migrating over 20 years of accumulated inspection data to an alternative system. Future maintenance obligations are anticipated to cost less than $90,000.00 over two years. The procurement history shows three prior contracts with this vendor dating from September 2018 through June 2024, valued at $16,910.00, $96,520.00, and $92,430.00 respectively. The department emphasized that denial of this sole source would result in loss of operational capability, inability to conduct inspections and generate associated revenue, and potential loss of historical data.

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Sole Source Justification Form Version 7.01 Page of Sole Source Justification Form - Part I Section I - General Information Will this Sole Source amend a Professional or Artistic Services contract?

If yes, what was the original contract value?

*Sole Source may not be used for amendments for Professional or Artistic Services if the amendment would increase the value by more than 5% of the initial award or extend the term by more than 60 days.

Section II - Proposed Term If a Term Contract, does the term, including renewals, exceed 12 months?

If yes, provide a detailed justification including any economic benefit received for agreeing to a multi-year term:

Section III - Funding Source Select the type of funding to be used (Check all that apply):

Section IV - Sole Source Justification Are there secondary justification(s) for this sole source?

Section V - Purchase History Has the Agency or University Purchased these supplies or services in the past?

Term Term From Term To Value Description Contract Number Type Section VI - Business Rationale

1. Provide a detailed explanation of the need for the supplies or services:

2. Provide a list and describe in detail the specifications required to satisfy the need:

3. Provide detail explaining the justification selected in Section IV to explain why the requested supplies or services are the only ones available that can satisfy the agency or university requirements?

4. What are the unique features of the supplies or services that are not available in any other product or by any other vendor? Provide specific quantifiable factors/qualifications:

5. Has the Agency or University considered alternative supplies or services to satisfy their need?

5a. If yes, name the alternative vendors whose supplies or services were evaluated:

5b. If yes, what were the alternatives for each vendor and why were they unacceptable? Be specific with regard to features, characteristics, requirements, capabilities and compatibility:

5c. Explain how the market evaluation was conducted?

*This evaluation is to determine available options within a market. If the evaluation is to determine quality or best suited option, this is not the appropriate source selection. Under no circumstances shall the evaluation consist of testing alternative options. These activities must be conducted in a competitive transparent environment (i.e. IFB or RFP).

5a. If no, why weren't alternatives evaluated?

6. Are there resellers or distributors?

7. What efforts were made to get the best possible price (i.e. did the agency/university negotiate) and how did you determine the price for this purchase is considered fair and reasonable?

8. Will this purchase obligate the State to this vendor for future purchases such as maintenance, licensing or continuing need?

8a. If yes, please provide details regarding future obligations and/or needs:

9. What will be the financial or other impact to the State if this sole source is not approved and a competitive bid is required?

10. Is there any additional information you would like to add to justify this sole source?

Section VII Requesting Department Signature Required I know and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and attest that all statements are true and correct and the fairness and reasonableness of the price was adequately confirmed.

State Agency Bureau/Division Head or University Purchasing Director Approval and Signature Required I know and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and attest that all statements are true and correct and the fairness and reasonableness of the price was adequately confirmed. (All prior form fields will lock once this e-signature is completed) SPO Approval and Signature Required Sole Source Justification Form - Part II Section I - General Information Was a Sole Source hearing held per 30 ILCS 500/20-25?

Section II - Sole Source Hearing Details The State posted to the Illinois Procurement Bulletin a description of the State's need, the justification for the sole source decision, and information regarding the opportunity to submit comments and testify at a public hearing. Notice of the hearing was also posted outside of the hearing room 48 hours prior to the hearing.

The public hearing was conducted for the purpose of receiving testimony regarding the sole source determination. The Hearing Officer recommends the following:

The following relevant documents are attached:

Section III - CPO Approval and Signature Required 9.0.0.2.20101008.1.734229

BulletinNum: B-52678
Requesting: Illinois Department of Agriculture
CurrentPage:
PageCount:
Department: Illinois Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Weights and Measures
NeedIdentifiedDate: 2026-08-10
NeedbyDate: 2026-10-05
ProjectTitle: Sole Source: AGR-WM-WinWam Software
ProjectTitle: Sole Source: AGR-WM-WinWam Software
Vendor: Nover Englestein & Associates
Vendor: Nover Englestein & Associates
Description: WinWam software has been used by the Weights and Measures inspectors since 2003. It was created specifically for the need of the Weights and Meaures bureau. A previous employee who is not part of the Illinois Department of Agriculture anymore, modified the software without the authorization of the vendor or the agency. As a result of this modification, the vendor will to overhaul the software, which will increase the price above $ 100,000.00. All the data for more than 20 years is stored through this software, therefore, trying to bid it out and obtain another software to migrate the data would be nearly impossible.

The vendor will provide licenses for Device Inspection Software, Package Checking Software, Questionnaire Deluxe Software, and Synchronization Software. Vendor will also provide training to the agency. In addition, vendor will provide Device Assignment Tool, Report of Unassigned Device By Businesses, Online Device Inventory Tool Enhancements, Q&A Validation Testing, and Installation documentation for IT and instructions for inspectors.

ValueIs: Actual
ValueofInitialTerm: 131197.00000000
P-Ayes:
P-Ano:
P-AValue:
ThisIsA: New Sole Source
One-Time:
Term:
BeginDate:
EndDate:
NumberofRenewals:
RenewalLength:
RenewalValue:
ExceedingYes:
ExceedingNo:
TextField3:
StateFunds: 1
FederalFunds: 0
FundingOther: 0
TextField4: Win-Wam Software- This will be canceled once Sole Source takes place
DropDownList1: Software License/Upgrade/Maintenance
DropDownList1: Small Purchase
DropDownList1: Small Purchase
DropDownList1: Small Purchase
Justify:
PastYes:
PastNo:
DateTimeField20: 07/01/2024
DateTimeField19: 06/30/2028
NumericField8: 92430.00000000
TextField5: 24-406AGR-AGIND-P-65245
DateTimeField18: 07/01/2019
DateTimeField17: 06/30/2024
NumericField9: 96520.00000000
TextField10: WinWam Software-Vendor providing the software and licenses.
TextField11: 19-406AGR-ADMIN-P-9673
DateTimeField16: 09/27/2018
DateTimeField15: 06/30/2019
NumericField10: 16910.00000000
TextField16: WinWam Software-Vendor providing the software and licenses.
TextField17: 19-406AGR-PROC4-P-4880
DateTimeField14:
DateTimeField13:
NumericField11:
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DateTimeField11:
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DateTimeField8:
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NumericField14:
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DateTimeField6:
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NumericField15:
TextField46:
TextField47:
DateTimeField4: 09/24/2026
DateTimeField4: 2026-09-29
DateTimeField3:
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IfMoreThan10:
Q1Answer: The inspectors that work for the Bureau of Weights and Measures perform approximately 150,000.00 inspectors per year. These inspections are performed on gas pumps, truck scales, and scales on grocery stores. The inspectors need to document all these inspections and provide inspection reports and invoices to the owners of the devices that were just inspected.

WinWam has been the software that the agency has used since 2003 to document the inspections and provide the reports and the invoices. It is preferred that the inspectors use a commercially available and proven software product that performs inspections and is in harmony with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Currently, WinWam is the only software that adheres to all three NIST regulations, 44, 130 and 133, in a state government environment.

Q2Answer: Vendor will provide 16 Device Assignment Tool, 8 Report of Unassigned Devices, 16 Online Device Inventory Tool Enhancements, 8 Q&A Validation Testing, 8 Installation documentation for IT and instructions for inspectors. Vendor will also provide training and upgrade assistance. In addition, vendor will provide additional WinWam Software license, such as 9 Device Inspection Software, 3 Package Checking Software, 26 Questionnaire Deluxe Software, 9 Synchronization Software. The vendor will provide software maintenance for 44 Device Inspection Software, 13 Package Checking Software, 44 Questionnaire Deluxe Software, 1 Custom Device Assignment Tool and 44 Synchronization Software.
Q3Answer: The requested supplies or services are the only one that satisfy the agency's requirements because the WinWam was created to assist the Weights and Measures with the inspections. WinWam was designed and customized according to the needs of the Weights and Measures since 2003. All the inspectors and the staff have used WinWam through years and they have been trained to use this software for the scale inspections. In addition, WinWam is the only software product when it comes to inspections that is in adherence to all three of the National Regulations : NIST Handbbook 44, 130 and 133 in state government.
Q4Answer: The software has unique features because it was created and customized according to the needs of the Weights and Measures Bureau. All the features such as device inspection software, package checking software, questionnaire deluxe, and synchronization, were created for the inspectors to have an easier way on creating a report and an invoice for the owners of the devices. The app was created in 2003 and it has been customized throughout the time to make it more user-friendly to the inspectors of the Weights and Measures. All of those unique features would have to be replicated by another company and be created manually for the Inspectors of Weights and Measures. The cost would be very high in creating a new software and would be almost impossible to migrate all the data from WinWam to another another software.
altYes:
altNo:
Q5aAnswer: The WinWam software has been used since 2003 by the inspectors of Weights and Measures at Illinois Department of Agriculture. The alternatives were not considered because the inspectors have been using this software to document all these inspections and provide inspection reports and invoices to the owners of the devices that were just inspected. All of this data has been saved on this software throughout the years, and trying to migrate this data to another software would be nearly impossible, since migration might not be compatible with a new software. In addition, the need for the sole source came only as a result of the actions by the ex-previous employee of the department, who modified the software without the authorization of the vendor or the agency. As a result of that, the vendor needs to completely overhaul the software, which as a result of though, increased the price above $ 100,000.00. Otherwise the department would have to continue paying only for the yearly maintenance.
Q5bAnswer:
Q5cAnswer:
Q6Yes:
Q6No:
Q6NA:
Q7Answer: The price is fair and it is above $ 100,000.00, due to the actions of the previous employee of the department. If that employee did not alter or modified the software, the agency would just continued to pay for the yearly maintenance, which was just above $ 20,000.00 per year. Since the ex-employee modified the software, the vendor has to completely overhaul the software and this will cost time and resources.
Q8y:
Q8n:
Q8aAnswer: The department will continue to pay yearly for the maintenance of the software, but this will cost less than $ 90,000.00 for two years.
Q9Answer: If this Sole Source is not approved, the department will not be able to use the WinWam software anymore and the inspectors will not be able to go out and inspect devices without the software. As a result of not having a software, the inspectors will not be able to perform the inspections, which generate revenues, since businesses have to pay fees. In addition, all the data stored from the past will be lost since the department will be cut off from software right away, due to not having a contract anymore.
Q10Answer: N/A
SignatureField1:
TextField63: Leke Hoxha
TextField63: Leke.A.Hoxha@Illinois.gov
TextField63: michelle.grimsley@illinois.gov
TextField63: Michelle Grimsley
TextField64: 217-790-1356
TextField65: 217-843-1356
Approve:
denied:
Comments:
Phone: 217-720-7077
Date: 2026-10-02
PN: Abigail Bailey
Email: Abigail.K.Bailey@illinois.gov
InitialPostingDate: 2026-10-02
HearingYes:
HearingNo:
HearingDate:
HearingTime:
HearingLocation:
No: 0
Members: 0
recommends:
WrittenComments: 0
DecisionMemo: 0
HearingMinutes: 0
Other: 0
OtherComments:
HearingOfficerSignature:
Authorize:
AuthorizeWChanges:
Cancel:
CPOComments:
CPOSignature:
CPOTelephone:
CPOPrintedName:
CPOEmail:

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .