Database Subscriptions RFP.docx

The Illinois Secretary of State (“Agency,” or “State”) requests proposals from responsible Offerors to meet its needs. A brief description is set forth below for the Offeror’s convenience, with detailed requirements in subsequent sections of this solicitation. If interested and able to meet these requirements, the State appreciates and welcomes an Offer.

Brief Description:

The Office of the Secretary of State (ILSOS) is seeking to procure library databases that will provide digital versions of resources (e.g., newspaper, magazines, scholarly journals, eBooks) that will enable libraries across the State of Illinois to give their communities online access to the full text of the content provided by the vendor. Illinois residents accessing the databases through a library website or through the Illinois State Library’s web portal will be able to enter the databases via geoIP authentication. The vendor shall provide databases that contain and diverse set of digital content that can be accessed across the various discovery systems being used by Illinois libraries.

The resulting contract with the awarded Offeror shall have an initial term of upon execution for a term of 3 years. In no event will the total term of the contract, including the initial term, any renewal terms, and any extensions exceed ten (10) years. 30 ILCS 500/20-60. Subject to the maximum total term limitation, ILSOS has the option to renew for the following terms: 7 one-year renewals.

Please read the entire solicitation package and submit an Offer in accordance with the instructions. All forms and signature areas contained in the solicitation package must be completed in full and submitted along with the technical response and price proposal which combined will constitute the Offer. Do not submit the instruction pages with Offers.

Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A) and IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B) may be downloaded from the Chief Procurement Officer for General Service’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html . These sections are a material part of this solicitation, and must be returned when applicable with an Offeror’s Offer.

Offers that do not adhere to the form and content of the Request for Proposal requirements may not be considered.

ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Illinois State Library Database Subscriptions RFP

350SOS-LIBRA-B-41700

In compliance with the State and Federal Constitutions, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the U.S. Civil Rights Act, and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, the State of Illinois does not discriminate in employment, contracts, or any other activity.

The State of Illinois encourages prospective vendors to consider hiring qualified veterans and Illinois residents discharged from any Illinois adult correctional center, in appropriate circumstances.

State of Illinois RFP 1 Introduction V.23.4

SECTION 1.

SECTION 2

Pricing E.

SECTION 3.

STATE OF ILLINOIS

OUTLINE

State of Illinois RFP 4

OUTLINE

V.23.4

SECTION 1.

A. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING OFFERS

Only Electronic Submissions through BidBuy of Bids and Offers will be Accepted

Bidders and 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. Vendor submissions will only be considered if they are received through BidBuy and on or before the time and date indicated in the Bid Opening on the Bulletin posting. Any required attachments must be submitted via BidBuy.

Price entries on the items tab will be locked automatically upon submission of the offer. If the agency requires pricing to be submitted in an attachment, Vendor 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 may 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 can be accessed and read using Microsoft Office or Adobe Reader. Corrupted files shall not be considered. It is the responsibility of the vendor to ensure that files are accessible and legible after uploading.

The vendor is solely responsible for ensuring timely submission of their electronic solicitation response. Failure to allow adequate time prior to the solicitation end date to complete and submit a response to a solicitation, particularly in the event technical support assistance from the State is required, places the vendor and their bid, offer or response at risk of not being accepted.

The State encourages vendors to make sure 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.

STATE OF ILLINOIS

SUBCONTRACTOR DISCLOSURES

ATTACHMENT FF

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING OFFERS

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.

State of Illinois RFP 30 Attachment FF– Subcontractor Disclosures V.13.3 State of Illinois RFP 16 Section 1. Part A. Instructions V.23.4

A.1. VENDOR 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, please list exceptions in the Technical 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 may 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 (Formally Forms A)/(IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (Formally Forms B), BEP Utilization Plan, or Offer.

A.2. 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.

A.3. HOW TO ENTER INFORMATION: Type information in the red text form fields provided. If the information requested does not apply to the Offeror’s situation, then enter “N/A” into the text form field. Please enter the requested information or N/A into every text form field.

A.4. PUBLISHED PROCUREMENT INFORMATION: The State publishes procurement information, including solicitations, awards, and amendments, on the General Services Illinois Procurement Bulletin, referred to 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 the Bulletin. The State will not be held responsible if Offeror fails to receive the optional e-mail notice of future amendments to the solicitation.

A.5. INFORMATION CONTACT: The individual listed in the “Info Contact:” on the Bulletin posting shall be the single point of contact for this solicitation. Unless otherwise directed, Offerors 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.

A.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 5 day before the solicitation due date. Questions received and Agency responses may be posted as an Amendment to the original solicitation on the Bulletin; only these posted answers to questions shall be binding on the State. Offerors are responsible for monitoring the Bulletin.

A.7. PRE-SUBMISSION CONFERENCE

In the Bulletin posting, the Agency may schedule a Pre-Submission Conference as the “Pre-Bid Conference:”.

Is attendance at the Pre-Submission Conference mandatory? |_| Yes |X| No If attendance is mandatory, Offeror (current Vendor 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.

A.8. OFFER DUE DATE, TIME, AND ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFERS: Each solicitation contains the Offer Due Date and Time appearing as the “Bid Opening Date:” on the Bulletin posting. Offers will be opened in BidBuy on the “Bid Opening Date:”

A.8.1. Offer Firm Time: The Offer must remain firm for 180 days from opening.

A.9. SECURITY: Performance Bond: N/A If a performance bond is required, Offeror must submit the 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.

A.10. SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE: In the Bulletin posting, if “Yes” is shown to the question “Is this subject to Small Business Set-Aside?”, then Offeror must be qualified by the Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Offers are due in order for the Offer to be evaluated. For complete requirements and to qualify Offeror’s business in the Small Business Set-Aside Program, please visit the CPO’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/sell-2-illinois.html.

A.11. 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.

A.12. PROCUREMENT OF DOMESTIC PRODUCTS: It is the policy of the State of Illinois to use State procurements to maximize the use of goods, products, and materials produced in Illinois. 30 ILCS 517. If this procurement is for a product alone and does not include a service, then preference shall be given to a product manufactured in the United States.

A vendor must affirmatively declare at the time they submit their bid or offer that the product being proposed to the State is manufactured in the United States. The purchasing agency may request documentation verifying the product’s manufacturing origin. The purchasing agency shall purchase the product manufactured in the United States unless the agency determines that any of the following applies: (1) the procured product is not manufactured in the United States in reasonably available quantities, or (2) the price of the procured product manufactured in the United States exceeds the price of available and comparable procured products manufactured outside of the United States by 12% or more, or (3) the quality of the procured product manufactured in the United States is substantially less than the quality of the comparably priced, available, and comparable procured products manufactured outside of the United States, or (4) the purchase of the procured products manufactured outside of the United States better serves the public interest by helping to protect or save life, property, or the environment, or (5) the purchase of the procured product is made in conjunction with contracts or offerings of telecommunications, fire suppression, security systems, communications services, Internet services, or information services, or (6) the purchase is of pharmaceutical products, drugs, biologics, vaccines, medical devices used to provide medical and health care or treat disease or used in medical or research diagnostic tests, and medical nutritionals regulated by the Food and Drug Administration under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

A.13. FEDERAL FUNDS: The resulting contract may be partially or totally funded with Federal funds. Upon notice of intent to award, the percentage of goods and/or services involved that are Federally funded and the dollar amount of such Federal funds will be disclosed.

A.14. 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.

A.15. 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”. Offeror may view the full text at 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 2000) are applicable to this solicitation and may be respectively viewed at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=532&ChapterID=7) and http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/044/044parts.html.

A.16. 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 attachments (See vendor instructions to submit in BidBuy Section A.1) 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.

A.17. 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).

A.18. AWARD: 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.

A.19. REFERENCES: |_| Yes |X| No. If “Yes” is marked, Offeror must provide references from established private firms or government agencies other than the procuring Agency, who can attest to Offeror’s experience and ability to perform the contract that is the subject of this solicitation. Offeror must provide the name, contact information and a description of the supplies or services provided using the References form found in Section 3, Part J.

A.20. 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.

A.21. 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 2000.5550. 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:

Secretary of State Phone: (217) 782-8892 Attn: Protest Review Office 501 S. 2nd Street Facsimile: (217) 524-0785 Room 116 Howlett Building Springfield, IL 62706 A.22. EVALUATION PROCESS: The State determines how well offers meet the Responsiveness requirements. The State will rank offers, without consideration of price, from best to least qualified using a point ranking system (unless otherwise specified) as an aid in conducting the evaluation. Offerors who fail to meet minimum requirements or who receive fewer than the minimum required points, if any, will not be considered for price evaluation and award.

The State evaluates three categories of information: Responsibility, Responsiveness, and Price. The State considers the information provided and the quality of that information when evaluating Offers. If the State finds a failure or deficiency, the State may reject the offer or reflect the failure or deficiency in the evaluation.

A.22.1. 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.

A.22.1.1. Subcontractor Disclosure: If the Offer includes any subcontractors, then Offeror shall complete the Subcontractor Disclosure form found in Section 3, Part I.

A.22.1.2. References: If references are required, then Offeror shall complete and return the References form in Section 3, Part J.

A.22.1.3. If completing IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms B), then responsiveness may include and may not be limited to:

· Active Illinois Procurement Gateway registration # with expiration date

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

· Disclosure of pending and current contracts

· Certifications timely to this solicitation A.22.1.4. If completing Vendor Disclosure (formerly named Forms A), required forms may include and may not be limited to:

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

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

· 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 a bid 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.

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

· 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.

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

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

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

A.22.1.5. The State will determine whether the Offer meets the stated 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 requirement, the State may waive that requirement.

A.22.1.6. 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.

A.22.1.7. The State will determine whether the Offer 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.

A.22.2. 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:

A.22.2.1. 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, goods or services after providing the State with a demonstration of the developing technology, goods, 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.

A.22.2.2. Other factors that the State may 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.

A.22.2.3. Awarded offerors must at all times 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.

A.22.2.4. The State may require that an offeror correct any deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

A.22.3. PRICE: The State identifies the lowest priced offer that meets the responsibility and responsiveness requirements.

A.23. BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FOR MINORITIES, WOMEN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES PARTICIPATION AND UTILIZATION PLAN: The Bulletin posting indicates whether this solicitation contains a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. If this solicitation is for non-construction supplies or services and contains a goal, then failure to submit a Utilization Plan by a non-certified BEP vendor may render the Offer non-responsive. All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Agency contact listed below prior to submission of proposals.

Contact: Katherine Tople

Phone Number: 217-782-7198

Email Address: ktople@ilsos.gov

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. Go to https://cei.illinois.gov/ for complete requirements for BEP certification. Go to http://ceibep.diversitysoftware.com/ to search for certified BEP vendors.

A.24. 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/

-END OF INSTRUCTIONS-

B. SELECTION OF VENDOR

B.1. The State may award to the most responsive and responsible Offeror whose Offer best meets the below criteria.

B.2. The State determines how well Offers meet the responsiveness requirements. The State ranks Offers, without consideration of price, from best to least qualified using a point ranking system (unless otherwise specified) as an aid in conducting the evaluation.

B.3. If a minimum point requirement has been set, the State determines if the minimum requirement has been met to move the proposal on to the vendor presentation and pricing evaluation. Offerors who receive fewer than the minimum required total points (80%) will not be considered for price evaluation or award.

B.4. The technical elements, vendor presentation and cost proposal are evaluated and ranked independently of the other parts of the proposal.

B.5. 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 prices submitted, other known prices, the project budget, and other relevant factors.

B.6. The responsiveness elements that the State evaluates without consideration of price, their relative weights in point format, and any minimum point requirements are denoted below.

B.6.1. TECHNICAL ELEMENTS

B.7. The total number of points for Price is 300. The State will determine Price points using the following formula:

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

SELECTION OF VENDOR

The maximum number of points is 1,000 (Technical Elements 700 + Price 300).

State of Illinois RFP 17 Section 1. Part B. Selection of Vendor V.23.4 C. Project Title / BidBuy Reference # Click here to enter text.

The undersigned authorized representative of the identified Offeror hereby submits this Offer to perform in full compliance with the subject solicitation. By completing and signing this form, the Offeror makes an Offer to the State of Illinois that the State may accept.

Offeror should use this form as a final check to ensure that all required documents are completed and included with the Offer. Offeror must mark each blank below as appropriate; mark N/A when a section is not applicable to this solicitation. Offeror understands that failure to meet all requirements is cause for disqualification.

C.1. SOLICITATION AND CONTRACT REVIEW: Offeror reviewed the Request for Proposal, including all referenced documents and instructions, completed all blanks, provided all required information, and demonstrated how it will meet the requirements of the State of Illinois.

|_| Yes |_| No C.2. ADDENDA: Offeror acknowledges receipt of any and all addenda to the solicitation and has taken those into account in making this Offer.

|_| Yes |_| No|_| N/A C.3. PRE-SUBMISSION CONFERENCE: If attendance was mandatory, Offeror attended the Pre-Submission Conference.

|_| Yes |_| No |_| N/A C.4. OFFER SUBMISSION: Offeror is submitting the correct Attachments, properly labeled and by the due date and time.

|_| Yes |_| No C.5. VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS A) or IPG ACTIVE REGISTERED VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS B): Offeror is properly submitting either Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, but not both.

|_| Yes |_| No C.6. BOND: If applicable, Offeror is submitting its Bid Bond or Performance Bond.

|_| Yes |_| No |_| N/A C.7. SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE: Offeror is a qualified small business in the Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Offers are due.

|_| Yes |_| No |_| N/A

C.8. BidBuy Quote Attachment 1 – SPECIFICATIONS/QUALIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK |_| Yes |_| No

C.9. BidBuy Quote Attachment 2 – PRICING *Only if pricing attachment is provided by the State.

C.10. BidBuy Quote attachment 3 – OFFER |_| Yes |_| No

C.11. BidBuy Quote Attachment 4 – VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS A)

C.12. BidBuy Quote Attachment 4 – IPG ACTIVE REGISTERED VENDOR DISCLOSURE (formerly named FORMS B)

C.13. BidBuy Quote Attachment 5 – REDACTED OFFER

C.14. BidBuy Quote Attachment 6 – BEP UTILIZATION PLAN

C.15. BidBuy Quote Attachment 7 – VSB UTILIZATION PLAN

C.16. PREFERENCES

The Illinois Procurement Code provides various preferences to promote business opportunities in Illinois.

Does Offeror make any claims for preferences? If so, please mark the applicable preference(s) and include a listing of the items that qualify for the preference at the end of this Section and a description of why the preference applies. Agency reserves the right to determine whether the preference indicated applies to Offeror.

|_| Resident Bidder (30 ILCS 500/45-10).

|_| Soybean Oil-Based Ink (30 ILCS 500/45-15).

|_| Recycled Materials (30 ILCS 500/45-20).

|_| Recycled Paper (30 ILCS 500/45-25).

|_| Environmentally Preferable Supplies (30 ILCS 500/45-26).

|_| Correctional Industries (30 ILCS 500/45-30).

|_| Not-for-Profit Agencies for Persons with Significant Disabilities (30 ILCS 500/45-35).

|_| Gas Mileage (30 ILCS 500/45-40).

|_| Small Businesses (30 ILCS 500/45-45).

|_| Illinois Agricultural Products (30 ILCS 500/45-50).

|_| Corn-Based Plastics (30 ILCS 500/45-55).

|_| Disabled Veterans (30 ILCS 500/45-57).

|_| Vehicles Powered by Agricultural Commodity-Based Fuel (30 ILCS 500/45-6).

|_| Biobased Products (30 ILCS 500/45-75).

|_| Historic Preference Area (30 ILCS 500/45-80).

|_| Procurement of Domestic Products (30 ILCS 517).

|_| Proposed product is manufactured in Illinois (30 ILCS 517).

|_| Public Purchases in Other States (30 ILCS 520).

|_| Illinois Mined Coal (30 ILCS 555).

|_| Steel Products Procurement (30 ILCS 565).

|_| Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act (30 ILCS 575).

|_| Veterans Preference (330 ILCS 55).

Items that Qualify and Explanation: Click here to enter text.

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OFFER TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

State of Illinois RFP 21 Section 1. Part C. Offer to the State of Illinois V.23.4

D. SPECIFICATIONS/QUALIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

D.1. GOAL: The Office of the Secretary of State (ILSOS) is seeking to procure library databases that will provide digital versions of resources (e.g., newspaper, magazines, scholarly journals, eBooks) that will enable libraries across the State of Illinois to give their communities online access to the full text of the content provided by the vendor. Illinois residents accessing the databases through a library website or through the Illinois State Library’s web portal will be able to enter the databases via geoIP authentication. The vendor shall provide databases that contain a diverse set of digital content that can be accessed across the various discovery systems being used by Illinois libraries.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY: In support of statewide needs for access to high-quality, reliable information, the Secretary of State/Illinois Library’s e-resources initiative will provide a rich collection of electronic databases that will be available through libraries. Information seekers of all ages will discover the databases at 145 academic agencies with 192 libraries, 640 public libraries with 807 branches, 795 school districts with 3,679 school libraries, and 177 special libraries with 183 outlets. Illinois residents without access to a public library may obtain a library card from the Illinois State Library to virtually connect to the databases. Approximately one million Illinois residents live outside of a public library service area.

Whether they are at their library or using a personal device, this project extends library services for all Illinois residents by providing access to information and ideas, content, and resources. By providing authentic electronic resources, the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library is removing barriers and ensuring that all Illinoisans, regardless of their geographic location or economic conditions, have equitable access to the same trustworthy information resources.

In addition, the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library seeks support for its public libraries, academic libraries, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school libraries, and special libraries in a way that would provide dedicated professional development including training. This support would interface with library staff and administrators to help staff understand how to successfully market, promote and incorporate resources into their library services.

D.2. SUPPLIES AND/OR SERVICES REQUIRED: The databases sought by ILSOS are broken down by digital content areas. It is the intent of ILSOS to cover each identified content area as described below.

D.2.1. General Interest Resources: Offers full text, comprehensive subject coverage on wide ranging topics of interest to the general public. Additional content should include car repair; family history/genealogy; legal forms; language learning; reader’s advisory (PreK to adult); and newspapers, especially those from major metropolitan areas in Illinois and metro St. Louis including historic to current coverage.

D.2.2. PreK-12 Educational Resources: Offers comprehensive coverage and includes full text/full experience on subjects aligned to:

D.2.2.1 Illinois Learning Standards, Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE): Establishes what all students should know and be able to do in each subject at each grade. https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Learning-Standards.aspx; and D.2.2.2 Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards, ISBE: Provides reasonable expectations for children’s growth, development, and learning in the preschool years. https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Early-Learning-Standards.aspx D.2.3. Academic (Undergraduate) Educational Resources: Offers comprehensive subject coverage and includes full text for subjects found in a typical undergraduate academic curriculum.

D.2.4. Health Resources: Offers academic journals and other important health resources.

D.2.5. Business Resources: Offers full text material, such as demographics, sales leads lists, marketing, creating business plans, etc., relevant to all aspects of starting or growing a business.

D.2.6. Reference eBooks: Offers general and subject specific encyclopedias, directories, etc.

D.2.7. Test Preparations, Licensing, Certification, Career Preparation and Workforce Skills Building Resource(s): Offers comprehensive full text, self-paced modules/video tutorials/courses covering those topics that are of interest to both academic and general public users. Also offers a resume builder, and adult computer and general digital literacy skills.

D.2.8. Additional Functionality Requirements:

D.2.8.1 Primary interface of databases must be in English language. Vendor must indicate which content can be translated into other languages and what languages are available D.2.8.2 Database must allow for unlimited simultaneous usage.

D.2.8.3 Must have a global search function D.2.8.4 Must allow for printing and downloading D.2.8.5 Must provide remote user IP geolocation authentication along with other authentication methods used by individual libraries and the Office of Secretary of State/Illinois State Library.

D.2.9. Training and Technical Support:

D.2.9.1 The vendor must provide at least one in-person in-depth, hands-on training session for the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library. More in-person training may be requested by the State.

D.2.9.2 On-demand webinar training and in-person trainings for the Illinois library community and targeted end-user groups over the course of the contract as requested. If an interpreter is requested for in-person training, the contractor must provide an American sign language interpreter at no additional charge. Webinar must be closed captioned and posted to a publicly available streaming service or website within 30 days of the live version.

D.2.9.3 Trainings created digitally, e.g., using Adobe or Microsoft products, must pass the built-in accessibility check by providing a clean error and warnings report. Errors must be evaluated for seriousness and remediated when requested by the Illinois State Library. Currently the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library uses Adobe DC and the electronic tool, SiteImprove, for accessibility checks but these products may change over time and the vendor must adjust as necessary to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

D.2.9.4 Printed documentation and training materials must be made available with clear and accessible fonts, colors, and graphics, as well as available in a downloadable/printable electronic format. An example of these guidelines can be found at: https://www.section508.gov/content/guide-accessible-web-design-development/ Training materials must make a good-faith effort to meet the needs of users with visual, hearing, or physical disabilities either by meeting the built-in accessibility guidelines of the services used to create them or adhering to basic good practice. guidelines such as providing alt text to all images and closed captioning to video D.2.9.5 The vendor must specify its toll-free number for the libraries to contact the vendor for technical support. The vendor must be available for calls and service during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., CT D.2.10. Accessibility Requirements:

D.2.10.1 The vendor must warrant the products or services it will provide comply with the accessibility requirements of the https://www.section508.gov /of the Rehabilitation Act and its implementing regulations set forth at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1194. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-XI/part-1194 D.2.10.2 The vendor shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) https://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm by supporting assistive software or devices such as large print interfaces, voice-activated input, and alternate keyboard or pointer interfaces in a manner consistent with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) published by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22 / D.2.10.3 The vendor must promptly respond to and resolve any complaint regarding accessibility of its products or services.

D.2.11. Marketing and Marketing Materials D.2.11.1 Vendor must provide Illinois specific branded marketing materials as requested for the database(s)/products making them electronically available D.2.11.2 Vendor must provide at least one 5,000 hard copy print run per year for the duration of the contract delivered to the Illinois State Library.

D.2.11.3 The vendor must assist the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library with eMarketing campaigns via social media, email, and other promotional endeavors such as creating graphics, charts, slide decks, print literature, and videos, for marketing campaigns featuring their resources.

D.2.11.4 Materials, such as flyers, table tents and bookmarks, provided as PDFs, that libraries may download and print, must pass the Adobe DC (or comparable technology’s) Accessibility Full Check process and come back with a clean error report. All materials must also pass the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA accessibility standards.

D.2.12. Discontinued Content/Loss of Rights D.2.12.1 Should the vendor discontinue access to content for any reason, the vendor must provide prior written notice by letter or email to the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library at least ninety (90) calendar days in advance of the content discontinuation, to allow the Illinois State Library sufficient time to notify libraries and to make alternative arrangements. The vendor shall provide a credit of the full amount for the discontinued content, pro-rated for the balance of the contract term.

D.3. MILESTONES AND DELIVERABLES: Vendors must submit a detailed proposal, scope of work and timeline necessary to implement and go-live during April 2024.

D.4. OFFEROR / STAFF SPECIFICATIONS: The following minimum qualifications are required for this solicitation:

D.4.1. Vendor must have demonstrated 5 years’ experience providing services outlined in this RFP.

D.4.2. Vendor must have experience implementing databases for a statewide effort.

D.4.3. The vendor must identify at least one individual (key personnel) who will be directly responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agreement with the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library. This individual(s) must be specifically assigned to the account, be knowledgeable on the contractual requirements, and will respond to Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library inquiries regarding all agreement activities.

D.4.4. Key personnel will work with the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library and will be responsible for coordinating any contracted technical and marketing staff to work with the Office of the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library as the agreement indicates (vendor representative). Key personnel must be available for virtual or on-site meetings at the Illinois State Library at reasonable intervals throughout the contract period.

D.5. OFFEROR’S PROPOSED SOLUTION TO MEET THE STATE’S REQUIREMENTS: Vendors interested in this opportunity should provide a detailed proposal as described below and confirming compliance with all requirements listed above.

Experience,…