CPO Notice 2020~14.06 Procurement and Electronic Submission

401 South Spring Street I 712 William Stratton Building I Springfield, IL 62706 P: (217) 558-2231 I F: (217) 558-1399

Notice 2020.06

General Services

To: Agency Procurement Staff

Central Management Services Bureau of Strategic Sourcing

State Purchasing Officers

From:

Date:

Subject:

CC:

Ellen H. Daley

March 27, 2020

Procurement via Electronic Submission

Procurement Compliance Monitors

Procurement Policy Board

Effective immediately and until further notification, State agencies shall clearly specify in solicitation documents and shall only accept the receipt of bids and offers electronically through BidBuy.

On March 9, 2020, due to the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Governor Pritzker proclaimed that a disaster exists in the State of Illinois. On March 11, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a global pandemic. On March 16, I notified State agencies and vendors that my staff, including State Purchasing Officers, are practicing social distancing and working remotely from their homes.

While the State continues to procure necessary supplies and services, we are implementing these measures to limit personal contact and ensure the safety of state employees and their families, vendors, couriers, postal workers, and the public.

Unless explicitly detailed to the contrary in a solicitation document, the following will apply to all solicitations procured via small purchase, Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Proposal (RFP), and leasing Request for Information (RFI):

1. State agencies shall only accept electronic submissions for competitive solicitations (IFB and

RFP) through BidBuy. Manual submissions in paper format shall not be accepted nor considered.

o For RFPs, agencies should consult the revised job aids (2 A JOB AID RFP – Technical v.20.4 and 2 B JOB AID RFP – Pricing v.20.4) located on the Chief Procurement Office’s

(CPO) website at https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Pages/BidBuy/BidBuyTrainingResources.aspx.

o For RFPs, agencies should attach the two guides (“Vendor Instruction to Submit Pricing” and “Vendor Instruction to Submit Technical Proposal”) that explain to vendors how to submit an electronic offer. The guide is located on the CPO’s website at https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Pages/BidBuy/BidBuyTrainingResources.aspx.

2. State agencies shall only accept electronic submissions for small purchase procurements via email or BidBuy. Manual submissions in paper format shall not be accepted nor considered.

3. Pursuant to Sections 20-10(d) and 20-15(d) of the Procurement Code, bids will be publicly opened and proposals will be publicly received using BidBuy.

o To witness the opening/receipt, agency personnel shall simultaneously share the screen with another State employee or the State Purchasing Officer via Webex, Microsoft

Teams, Citrix Jabber, Apple Facetime or other video conferencing service. The agency shall document in the procurement file the witness to the opening/receipt.

4. For competitive solicitations already published on BidBuy, agencies shall work with their State

Purchasing Officers to determine if extending the opening/due date is necessary to ensure fairness and competition.

o The agency shall work with their State Purchasing Officer to update the published solicitation to accept electronic submission.

o For each RFP already published, the agency and State Purchasing Officer shall publish an amendment indicating that only electronic submissions will be accepted and attach the

Vendor Instruction to Submit Technical Proposal and Vendor Instruction to Submit

Pricing guides.

https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Pages/BidBuy/BidBuyTrainingResources.aspx https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Pages/BidBuy/BidBuyTrainingResources.aspx

5. On Monday and Tuesday next week, Dave Littrell will demonstrate the new BidBuy procedures when procuring via an RFP or IFB.

o To participate in either training session, use these Webex meeting links.

▪ Monday 3/30 10AM:

https://illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php?MTID=m0282a45d5751b26f6ecd1483c0 c8e72a

▪ Training Tuesday 3/31 9AM:

https://illinois.webex.com/webappng/sites/illinois/meeting/info/156607734877298765?

MTID=m238583d16284a94de96c7124e04d824a o An instructional video will be posted to the CPO’s website on 4/2/2020 at https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Pages/BidBuy/TrainingTuesday.aspx.

6. The CPO shall publish a News item in BidBuy notifying vendors of this new policy.

If there are any questions regarding this notice, please ask your State Purchasing Officer or contact the

Chief Procurement Office at (217) 622-1857.

- End -https://illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php?MTID=m0282a45d5751b26f6ecd1483c0c8e72a https://illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php?MTID=m0282a45d5751b26f6ecd1483c0c8e72a https://illinois.webex.com/webappng/sites/illinois/meeting/info/156607734877298765?MTID=m238583d16284a94de96c7124e04d824a https://illinois.webex.com/webappng/sites/illinois/meeting/info/156607734877298765?MTID=m238583d16284a94de96c7124e04d824a https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/general/Pages/BidBuy/TrainingTuesday.aspx