IGB CCS RFP~2.docx

Illinois Gaming Board Request for Proposal - Central Communications System Illinois Gaming Board Request for Proposal Document Video Gaming Central Communication System BidBuy Reference Number: B45047

TABLE OF CONTENTS

All changes in this document are highlighted in yellow in comparison to RFP from Bid# B43061.

SCOPE OF WORK

OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE

The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) is seeking a Vendor to provide a centralized communications system (“CCS”) to connect 46,400 video gaming terminals (“VGTs”) and other associated video gaming equipment for regulatory monitoring, oversight, and enforcement actions in 8,400 locations across the state of Illinois. Interested Offerors should refer to the Video Gaming Act (“VGA”), (230 ILCS 40/1, et seq.), the Board’s Rules (Part 1800 Video Gaming), and published Technical Standards for more information about video gaming in Illinois (available at https://www.igb.illinois.gov/VideoLaw.aspx).

The contract resulting from this solicitation will have an initial term of five years. Under no event will the total term of the contract shall exceed ten (10) years. 30 ILCS 500/20-60.

All information requested as part of this solicitation shall be submitted in the format stipulated in this RFP within the State’s eProcurement portal, BidBuy. Proposals should be signed by the person(s) duly authorized to bind the Offerors to contracts.

DESIRED OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT/ENGAGEMENT

The IGB is responsible for the administration, regulation, and enforcement of the Video Gaming Act. 230 ILCS 40/1, et seq. The Board seeks a Vendor to create, implement, operate, and maintain a CCS capable of securely communicating with and monitoring in real time a minimum of 120,000 VGTs (as defined in the Video Gaming Act) and associated video gaming equipment (as defined in the Section 1800.110 of the Video Gaming Rules (11 Ill. Adm. Code 1800.110). Specific services must include.

· Support during the transition period (range 12-24 months) to manage the transfer of data and hardware between service vendors

· Monitoring and reporting gaming activity on all VGTs

· Calculating, collecting, and distributing revenue

· Access to reports that do not require an extensive amount of time to download in various formats (i.e., excel, pdf)

· Data updated in five-minute windows The awarded Vendor must provide the IGB with a CCS that, at a minimum, can monitor, communicate with, and activate or deactivate VGTs and other related technological components utilized in the video gaming industry.

Transition Phase Overview The Transition Phase is a critical period during which operational responsibilities shall gradually shift from the incumbent (existing) vendor to the incoming (new) vendor. The initial five-year term shall include the proposed transition phase. The transition phase shall be completed within twenty-four (24) months from the contract award date. IGB has a strong preference for the Transition Phase to be completed before the current contract ends on December 31st, 2025.

As all parties navigate the transition of the Video Gaming Central Communication System (CCS), to the incoming vendor, it is essential to outline responsibilities during this crucial period. The incoming vendor shall propose a transition plan with estimated timelines and milestones for transfer of services. This transition plan shall be approved by IGB prior to commencement of the transition phase. The incoming vendor shall be responsible for managing all their operating costs and assume full responsibility for the CCS functionality.

The incoming vendor shall only start getting paid as the VGTs connect to the new CCS and functions to the satisfaction of IGB requirements and is approved by IGB.

The payments shall be calculated based on Net Terminal Income (NTI), of the transitioned VGTs to the incoming vendor. This is to ensure continuity of service and protecting the financial interests of the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB).

Operating Costs and Vendor Responsibilities During the transition, the incoming vendor shall be responsible for all their operating costs related to the video gaming terminals (VGTs) and the Central Communication System (CCS). This includes uninterrupted service delivery, even before full system control is established.

The incoming vendor will also manage the transfer of data and hardware from the incumbent, where applicable, monitor gaming activities, and ensure all systems meet the required standards. As VGTs are moved to the new CCS and become fully functional under the incoming vendor’s control, the vendor will begin receiving NTI payments from those machines.

Commencement of NTI-Based Payments The transition is considered complete when the incoming vendor takes complete ownership of the CCS and delivers 100% of services, and the incumbent is no longer involved with any aspects of the CCS management. At that point, fully anticipated payments based on 100% of the annual Net Terminal Income (NTI) will begin.

· NTI Payments: NTI is defined as the total money inserted into a VGT, minus credits paid out to players. It will be based on an estimated base amount of $3.4 billion annually.

· Payments during Transition: During the transition period the incoming vendor will be paid the same % of the NTI fees as the incumbent.

· NTI-based payments shall begin as VGTs are moved to the new CCS and become fully functional under the incoming vendor’s control.

· The fees amount shall be calculated for the volume of VGTs as they connect to the new CCS

· Completion of Transition: Transition phase will be successfully completed when 100% of the VGTs are connected to the new CCS, marking the point where the incoming vendor assumes full operational control of the CCS and the transition completion is approved by IGB.

· Once the transition is fully complete, the incoming vendor will begin receiving the percentage of the NTI as outlined in their proposal.

SCHEDULE & BUDGET

This section provides an overview of the timeline for the RFP process. This timeline proposed below is an estimation and IGB and the Chief Procurement Officer for General Services’ Illinois can adjust this timeline at any time during the procurement process at their sole discretion. Expect adjustment to the Procurement Schedule to account for the holidays.

Table 1: Revised and estimated Procurement Schedule Procurement Schedule

1:00 PM CST – 2:00 PM CST

Contract Negotiation

TBD

Contract Award

Contract Signature

TERM

TERM OF THIS CONTRACT

The contract resulting from this procurement will have an initial term commencing upon the last dated signature for an initial period of five (5) years. The agreement will include an option of two renewals, the first renewal for an optional three-year term, followed by a second renewal for an optional two-year term. In no event the total term of the contract shall exceed a total of ten (10) years including renewals after the initial five (5) year term. Vendor must 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. The Vendor shall not propose a separate fee for the transition services, and transition phase shall not exceed a period of twenty-four (24) months. The initial five-year term shall include the proposed transition phase.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND

The Illinois Gaming Board is the state regulatory and law enforcement body that oversees all aspects of casino gambling, video gaming, and sports wagering in Illinois. The IGB consists of five Board Members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The IGB Administrator serves as the agency’s chief executive and directs daily agency operations.

IGB civilian and sworn staff perform regulatory, oversight, licensing, enforcement, investigative, rulemaking, adjudicatory, and tax collection functions. The staff conducts audits and investigations of applicants and licensees as well as analyzes legal, financial, regulatory, compliance, technical, and criminal issues to ensure the integrity of gaming in Illinois as mandated by statute. The IGB licenses and approves gaming operations, entities and personnel based on background and financial investigations conducted by IGB staff.

VOLUMES & QUANTITIES

The Video Gaming Act was enacted in July 2009, authorizing the placement of Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs) in licensed retail establishments, truck stops, bars, restaurants and veteran and fraternal establishments. The VGTs are all connected to and monitored by a Central Communications System. At present, more than 8,400 licensed video gaming locations operate over 46,400 VGTs across the state – comprising the largest video gaming network of its kind in the world.

AREAS OF CONCERN/CHALLENGES

The current system and environment have numerous challenges listed as follows:

· The State is looking for a vendor to provide features that reduce the amount of human input and effort, allowing personnel to streamline tasks and processes and increasing the efficiency of the board.

· Keeping current with evolving Technology/System is a continuous challenge. The State seeks improved functionality that allows for ad hoc data downloads in short timeframe (Less than two minutes). Current data requests can exceed twelve (12) minutes.

· Current data structures are difficult to leverage, not always accessible, and can be insufficient for the Agency’s needs.

· Current limits to both access and training for State personnel require the current vendor to preform task such as turning on or off VGTs with inactive licenses.

· Technology limits causing inflexibility within the system have prevented some desired advancements. Examples are self-service management capabilities, automated change management process for minor changes, streamlined CI/CD processes for frequently evolving regulatory codes to reduce delays. There is an opportunity to lower management costs.

STRENGTHS

· Long term Data Storage ensures all video game terminal data is available from inception, July 2009.

· Current communication system vendor partners with IGB to provide service support for funds collection & distribution amongst IGB, Establishments, and Terminal Operators.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Only Electronic Submissions through BidBuy of Offerors will be Accepted.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT

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

Table 2: Required Documents for Submission

Required Documents for Submission

Offer to State (Including Subcontractor Disclosure and where Services are to be Performed, found in BidBuy Attachments.)

· State of Illinois form required to be completed if any part of the contract with the annual value of $100,000 or more will be used in the performance of the contract will be completed by subcontractors.

· The document should be reviewed in tandem with Attachment D - Requirement Traceability Matrix to support the Offeror ’s RFP Offer.

· Detailed solution functional and technical desirables, as well as vendor service, deliverable, and performance management requirements.

· This document should be reviewed to ensure complete clarity and understanding of the terms.

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.”

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 must 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 must be submitted in an electronic format that is accessible and readable using Microsoft Office suite software or Adobe Reader. Corrupted files must 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.

Table 3: Offeror Instructions to Submit in BidBuy 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 will result in disqualification.

Note: If taking any exceptions to Standard Terms and Conditions an Offeror shall submit a redline version of the Standard Terms and Conditions with their proposal.

: “Upload” (next to each required attachment) : “Choose File.”

Note: Attachment E- Price Workbook 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.

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 must open Offers electronically in BidBuy on the “Bid Opening Date”. The Offer must remain firm for 180 days from opening.

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 must represent the Offeror ’s intended submission.

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.

INFORMATION CONTACT

The Information Contact for this solicitation is Joe Miller, Director of Policy, IGB, (joe.miller@illinois.gov). The Information Contact must be the single point of contact for this solicitation. Unless otherwise directed, Offeror should only communicate with the Information Contact. The State/Agency must 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.

OFFEROR QUESTIONS AND AGENCY RESPONSE

All questions pertaining to this solicitation must be submitted in writing to the Information Contact based on the timelines provided in section A.3. Questions received and Agency responses may be posted as a Bid Amendment to the original solicitation on BidBuy; only these posted answers to questions must be binding on the State. Offeror is responsible for monitoring BidBuy and BidBuy email notifications. Any questions or clarifications about specifications must be submitted during this time. No assumptions will be considered or be allowed to change pricing submitted in Attachment E - Price Workbook. Any disclosure of costs relating to dollar amounts shall not be submitted as a question. Any Offeror disclosing any fees outside of the Attachment E - Price Workbook shall be deemed non-responsive.

PRE-SUBMISSION CONFERENCE

The Agency may conduct a Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference, listed under the “Pre-Bid Conference:” field of the BidBuy posting. Pre-Submission Offeror ’s Conference is currently scheduled for October 30, 2024, from 1:00 PM CST – 2:00 PM CST.

The additional conference details, agenda and the remote meeting details will be shared on BidBuy.

The Webex link to access the pre-submission conference is: https://illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php?MTID=ma8bca414c8ebb6bba480a31bf04bfa09 Additional conference details, date, time, and agenda and the remote meeting details will be shared on BidBuy. In case of any changes to the current schedule, refer to BidBuy for the latest information.

SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

Visit the State’s online resources for details.

Go to https://cei.illinois.gov/business-enterprise-program.html for complete requirements for BEP certification. Go to State of Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion at https://ceibep.diversitysoftware.com/ to search for certified BEP vendors.

SECURITY

Refer to Attachment A – State Standard Security Requirements

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Standard State and Agency Specific Terms and Conditions will become a part of any resulting contract. See instructions on page 1 of Attachment C – Terms & Conditions.

EVALUATION PROCEDURES

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 must be used in ranking the proposals.

The State may award to the most responsive and responsible Offeror whose offer best meets the specified criteria.

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.1.1. 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 deficiency as a condition of further evaluation.

A.1.2. Subcontractor Disclosure: If the Offer includes any subcontractors, then Offeror should complete the Subcontractor Disclosure section of the Offer to the State of Illinois A.1.3. 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 Vendor and parent entity(ies)

· Disclosure of pending and current contracts

A.1.4. If completing Vendor Disclosure, required parts may include and may not be limited to:

A.1.5. 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.

A.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.

EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

The Technical Requirements are described in Sections F.1., F.2., F.3., and F.5. The State evaluates the Technical Requirements without consideration of price.

The State reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to (1) waive any other technical or immaterial nonconformities in an Offeror ’s proposal, (2) allow the Offeror to cure the nonconformity, or (3) consider the nonconformity in the scoring of the Offeror ’s proposal. If no Offeror meets a particular technical requirement, the State may waive that requirement.

A.1.7. Total Number of Points Available for Technical Requirements is: 900.

A.1.8. Offeror should complete and return Sections F.1., F.2., F.3.

A.1.9. Relative Weight in Point Format

Table 8: Technical Requirements

See Attachment F - Desirable Scoring Details for the breakout of the 900 points for the Proposed Technical Solution.

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.

A.1.10. The total number of points for Commitment to Diversity is 180 A.1.11. Offeror should complete and return Section F.4 Commitment to Diversity A.1.12. Commitment to Diversity Categories:

Table 9: Commitment to Diversity Categories Commitment to Diversity Categories

Category 1 – BEP Compliance – Whether or how well the Vendor meets this solicitation’s goal of contracting or subcontracting with businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities. 5%

Category 2 – Subcontracting/Contracting with any WMD businesses (not limited to BEP vendors) – Whether the Vendor assisted businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities. 10%

Category 3 – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Spend – Vendor’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 – Vendor’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 – Entity has provided a written copy of, or link to, their current written workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion policy. Policies must be actionable plans, not overarching concepts around DEI. 10%

Category 6 – Diversity in Staffing -% of individuals on governing board and/or Senior executives out of all staff who identify as women, minorities, or person with disabilities. 10% % of individuals in management/supervisor positions out of all staff who identify as women, minorities, or person with disabilities. 13% % of total staff who identify as women, minorities, or person with disabilities. 12%

MINIMUM REQUIRED POINTS

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

A.1.13. The total number of available points for Technical and Commitment to Diversity is 1080 A.1.14. A minimum of 825 of the available (Technical and Commitment to Diversity) points is required for price evaluation and award consideration.

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.

A.1.15. The total number of points for Price is 180 A.1.16. The State will determine Price points using the following formula:

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

MAXIMUM AVAILABLE POINTS

The maximum number of points is 900 (Technical) + 180 (Commitment to Diversity) + 180 (Price) = 1260 maximum available points.

ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

GOVERNING LAW AND FORUM

Illinois law and rules govern this solicitation and any resulting contract. Offeror shall 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 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 1) are applicable to this solicitation. To view them respectively, go to http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=532&ChapterID=7) and https://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/044/044parts.html

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 shall 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 must 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.

MINORITY CONTRACTOR INITIATIVE

The State requires a fee of $15 to cover expenses related to the administration of the Minority Contractor Opportunity Initiative. Any Vendor 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 must deduct the fee from the first check issued to Vendor under the contract and deposit the fee in the Comptroller’s Administrative Fund. 15 ILCS 405/23.9.

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.

EMPLOYMENT TAX CREDIT

Vendors 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].

RESERVATIONS

Vendor 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 Vendor’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 must 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 Vendor provide additional information and otherwise cooperate with the State. If a Vendor 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 Vendor 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 Vendor(s) must 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).

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 Vendor 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 Vendor’s qualifications, the Vendor’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 Vendor.

INVOICING ADDRESS

The awarded Vendor Must 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 Must 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.

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 Email: cpogs.pro@illinois.gov

RESPONSIBILITY

A responsible Vendor 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 Vendor is a “responsible” Vendor; a Vendor with whom the State can or should do business. For example, the State may consider the following:

A.1.17. A “prohibited offeror” 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 must 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 must 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.

A.1.18. 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 Vendor’s ability to deliver in the quality and quantity within the time and price as specified in this solicitation.

A.1.19. Awarded Vendors 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.

A.1.20. The State may require that a Vendor correct any deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

A.1.21. 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://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/PathwayToProcurement/Pages/Guides-and-Manuals.aspx

PROPOSAL FORMS

Offeror should complete and return:

· Mandatory and Desirable Requirements:

· Mandatory Requirements without Evidence (Section F.1),

· 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.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT EVIDENCE

Please read each item carefully in the below section. Please follow instructions in Attachment H - Response Template, and check “Agree” indicating acceptance for each requirement detailed in F.1. An Offeror that does not check “Agree” may be disqualified and the rest of the proposal will not be scored. These Mandatory Requirements must be included in any contract resulting from this solicitation.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS WITH EVIDENCE

Please read each item carefully in the below section. Please follow instructions in Attachment H -- Response Template, and check “Met” indicating acceptance for each requirement detailed in F.2. A Vendor that does not check “Met” may be disqualified and the rest of the proposal will not be scored. These Mandatory Requirements must 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 Vendor’s evidence/response to verify the mandatory requirement is met.

PROPOSED TECHNICAL SOLUTION – DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Please read each item carefully in the Attachment D – Requirement Traceability Matrix. Follow instructions in Attachment H - Response Template; Section six (6), seven (7), eight (8), and nine (9) to provide a response for each item found in Attachment D - Requirement Traceability Matrix.

In addition, see Section 3 Qualifications and Experience and Section 4 Proposed Staffing for response to respective elements in the Attachment H - Response Template.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

Commitment to Diversity Vendor Guidance including Vendor Submission Form is 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:”

PRICING

FORMAT OF PRICING:

A.1.21.1. Offeror shall submit pricing via the attachments tab in BidBuy, utilizing the agency provided form for pricing. Offeror shall upload pricing under the “Required Documents” section of 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 and render Offeror ’s entire Offer non-responsive and ineligible for award. Offeror ’s price offer must serve as the basis for the compensation terms of the resulting contract. 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.

A.1.21.2. When pricing has been disabled on the Items Tab, the agency will require pricing to be submitted in an attachment, Offeror shall utilize the agency provided form for pricing. Offeror shall upload pricing under the “Required Documents” section of 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.

A.1.22. 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.

A.1.23. EXPENSES ALLOWED: Pricing shall not include and be exclusive of any expenses.

A.1.24. TAXES: Pricing shall not include any taxes unless accompanied by proof 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.1.25. OFFEROR’S PRICING OFFER: Offerors must use Attachment E — Pricing Workbook for submitting their cost proposals. Additional instructions are included within the attachment and should be reviewed thoroughly.

A.1.25.1. Renewal Compensation: Agency Formula for Determining Renewal Compensation: Offerors must use Attachment E – Pricing Workbook for submitting their cost proposals. Additional instructions are included within the attachment and should be reviewed thoroughly.

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

In addition to this RFP document, this RFP package constitutes of the following attachments:

· Attachment A State Standard Security Requirements

· Attachment B Commitment to Diversity

· Attachment C Terms & Conditions

· Attachment D Requirement Traceability Matrix

· Attachment E Price Workbook

· Attachment F Desirable Scoring Details

· Attachment G Glossary

· Attachment H Response Template

· Attachment I Proposed Key Staff

· Attachment J Reporting

· Attachment K Scanning Agreement Documents updated for the RFP re-issue.

NOTE: All the changes are highlighted in yellow in this document and in the attachments where any updates have been made, with reference to the RFP package published with the BidBuy Reference Number B43061.

END OF RFP DOCUMENT

State of Illinois RFP V.24.3 33