EMERGENCY PURCHASE EXTENSION APPROVAL

State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page 1 of 7

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite #500

Vendor: Diversified Services Network (DSN)

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 406 E. Monroe Street

Requesting Agency: CFS - Children and Family Services Division: Budget and Finance

Extension Justification Original BidBuy Reference #: B- 52416

Emergency Extension BidBuy Reference #: B- 54421

Amount of original contract: $ 762,111

Actual or Estimated: Estimated

Original Emergency Term Start Date:May 26, 2026 Original Emergency Term End Date: Aug 23, 2026

Expected Extension Start Date: Nov 22, 2026 Expected Extension End Date: Feb 19, 2027

Amount of extension contract: $ 762,111 Actual or Estimated: Estimated

Is there BEP participation on this contract? If yes, please detail

The Department will hold the vendor accountable for achieving a 25% Business Enterprise Program (BEP) participation goal during the extension term of the agreement. The vendor is currently 100% BEP owned so all services will account toward the BEP goal.

Has this emergency contract been extended before? Please detail in the space below:

BidBuy Reference # Amount Start Date End Date

27-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53389 $762,111.00 Aug 24, 2026 Nov 21, 2026

$0.00

$0.00

1. Provide detail about the events that led the agency to conduct an emergency procurement:

DCFS has conducted three consecutive emergency procurements for these services. This extension request pertains to the third. The following summarizes the events leading to each emergency and the actions taken during each period.

First Emergency (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-50089; November 28, 2025 – February 25, 2026)

Prior to the expiration of the predecessor contract, DCFS was pursuing two parallel procurement strategies: preparation of a

Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page 2 of 7

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite #500

Vendor: Diversified Services Network (DSN)

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 406 E. Monroe Street

Requesting Agency: CFS - Children and Family Services Division: Budget and Finance sole economically feasible source justification to maintain service continuity, and preliminary planning for a competitive solicitation. Due to the complexity of the services, the interdependence of multiple legacy and web-based federal claiming systems, and the significant federal audit implications involved, both efforts required extensive internal coordination and review. As the contract expiration approached, it became clear that neither could be completed in time to prevent a lapse in services supporting hundreds of millions in annual federal revenue. DCFS declared an emergency procurement on November 28, 2025.

Extension of First Emergency (Attempted)

Prior to the February 25, 2026 expiration of the first emergency, DCFS prepared and submitted an extension request. That extension was not completed in time to be executed before the emergency period expired.

Second Emergency (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-51068; February 26, 2026 – May 25, 2026)

DCFS declared a second emergency effective February 26, 2026 to maintain uninterrupted continuity of critical federal claiming, audit support, and system maintenance services. During this period DCFS discontinued the sole economically feasible source procurement, which had undergone multiple rounds of SPO review without approval, and returned full focus to the competitive RFP. An updated RFP was transmitted to the program area for technical requirements review on February 10, 2026.

Development and refinement of requirements, evaluation criteria, and mandatory qualifications continued through this period.

An extension of the second emergency was requested. On May 4, 2026, the SPO determined there was insufficient support for the extension given the status of the RFP at that time.

Third Emergency (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-52416; May 26, 2026 – August 23, 2026)

DCFS declared a third emergency effective May 26, 2026 to maintain continuity of critical services while the competitive RFP was advanced. During this period the RFP was submitted to the SPO for review on multiple occasions. The Senior State Purchasing Officer conducted two partial reviews and was unable to complete review due to structural deficiencies in the document, including issues with evaluation methodology, scoring completeness, and the overall organization of the solicitation.

The SPO indicated she could not support the six-month extension request given the current state of the RFP.

In direct response to the SPO's direction, the Deputy Director of the Office of Contract Administration personally assumed leadership of the RFP rebuild. A meeting with the program area was conducted August 6, 2026 to align on procurement methodology and the structural requirements of a competitive RFP.

First Emergency Extension (BidBuy 27-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53389; August 24, 2026 – November 21, 2026)

The new solicitation was built from scratch using a blank CPO-GS RFP Template. DCFS committed to a specific and time-bound objective for the first extension: completing and publishing the competitive solicitation and opening the bidding period.

The following actions were completed during the first extension period:

Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page 3 of 7

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite #500

Vendor: Diversified Services Network (DSN)

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 406 E. Monroe Street

Requesting Agency: CFS - Children and Family Services Division: Budget and Finance

• August 10, 2026: New RFP draft transmitted to the program area for expedited review

• August 13, 2026: Rebuilt RFP submitted to SPO for review

• August 19 – September 22, 2026: Five rounds of SPO review completed; all SPO comments addressed and resolved

• September 30, 2026: Solicitation submitted to BidBuy

• October 1 and October 5, 2026: BidBuy submissions returned by SPO with final corrections; resubmitted same day each time

• October 9, 2026: Competitive solicitation published on BidBuy as 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53611

• October 14, 2026: Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference held

DCFS met its commitment. The competitive solicitation is published and the bidding period is open. Offers close November 13, 2026.

DCFS acknowledges that three consecutive emergency procurements and two extension requests reflect procurement planning and execution failures for which the Department takes full responsibility. This second extension is necessary to complete the final phases of a procurement that is now actively in progress and on schedule.

2. What is the scope of work of the initial emergency contract? Please detail below:

The scope of work of the initial emergency contract is limited to the continuation of existing mission-critical services that directly support federal program eligibility determination, claiming, revenue protection, and audit compliance. These services are operational in nature and are necessary to prevent disruption to ongoing federal claiming activities.

Specifically, the emergency contract provides for:

• Maintenance, support, and limited enhancement of complex application software and databases supporting federal program eligibility and claiming.

• Ongoing support of integrated IT application systems in both web-based and mainframe environments.

• Preparation, maintenance, and improvement of DCFS’ quarterly Title IV-E reimbursement claims, including identification of allowable but unclaimed costs.

• Continued operation of Emergency Assistance claiming as part of the State’s Maintenance of Effort.

• Maintenance and updates to the Public Assistance Cost Allocation Plan (PACAP) as required by federal or State changes.

• Technical support for federal claiming-related systems, including but not limited to MARS FFP Applications, Emergency Assistance Claiming Systems, Medical Assistance Systems, Managed Care coordination, Child Support interfaces, Home of Relative and Certified Homes systems, Trust Accounting System, Subsidy Tracking System, CWCA and Clearance Tracking systems, Court Tracking System, and the Title IV-E and Title IV-B Claim Development System (CARS).

• First-level federal financial participation review of adoption and guardianship subsidy cases approaching finalization, consistent with State and federal requirements.

• Audit preparation, documentation review, and on-site support for federal and State audits related to foster care, adoption, and guardianship claiming.

• Support for federal on-site reviews and monitoring of permanency timelines.

Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page 4 of 7

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite #500

Vendor: Diversified Services Network (DSN)

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 406 E. Monroe Street

Requesting Agency: CFS - Children and Family Services Division: Budget and Finance

• Ongoing technical and programmatic assistance to DCFS program units, IT partners, fiscal staff, legal staff, and inter-agency partners as it relates to federal eligibility and claiming.

The emergency contract does not include new initiatives, new system development beyond what is operationally required to maintain continuity, or any expansion of services beyond those necessary to address the emergency condition.

3. Does this extension change the scope of work? Yes No If yes, please detail below:

Original BidBuy Reference #: B- 52416

4. Provide justification for extending the original emergency contract:

DCFS is requesting a second 90-day extension of the current emergency contract (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-52416) to ensure uninterrupted continuation of critical federal claiming, audit support, and system maintenance services while the Department completes evaluation, award, and contract execution of the competitive solicitation.

Actions Completed During the First Extension Period (August 24 – November 21, 2026)

During the first extension period, DCFS accomplished the following:

• Rebuilt the competitive solicitation from scratch under the personal leadership of the Deputy Director of OCA

• Submitted the new RFP to the SPO on August 13, 2026

• Completed five rounds of SPO review between August 19 and September 22, 2026, addressing and resolving all SPO comments

• Submitted the solicitation to BidBuy on September 30, 2026; addressed two additional rounds of BidBuy corrections

• Published the competitive solicitation on October 9, 2026 (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53611)

• Held a Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference on October 14, 2026

Why the Competitive Procurement Has Not Yet Been Completed

The competitive solicitation was published on October 9, 2026, which was 46 days into the 90-day first extension period. The remaining procurement phases — offer closing, evaluation, award, protest resolution, contract execution, and transition — require approximately 112 days from publication. DCFS could not have published the solicitation earlier: the rebuilt RFP required five rounds of SPO review and two BidBuy submission cycles, all of which were completed as expeditiously as possible.

The procurement timeline from publication through contract execution extends beyond the November 21, 2026 expiration of the first extension.

Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page 5 of 7

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite #500

Vendor: Diversified Services Network (DSN)

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 406 E. Monroe Street

Requesting Agency: CFS - Children and Family Services Division: Budget and Finance

Why 90 Days Is Necessary and What Will Be Accomplished

The second extension covers the period November 22, 2026 through February 19, 2027. During this period, DCFS will complete:

• November 13, 2026: Offer closing date

• November 30, 2026: Evaluation committee kick-off meeting

• November 30 – December 14, 2026: Evaluation period

• December 15, 2026: Price opening

• December 22, 2026: Best and Final Offer (BAFO)

• December 30, 2026: Award publication date

• December 30, 2026 – January 13, 2027: Protest period

• February 2, 2027: Contract execution date (target)

• February 2 – March 31, 2027: Transition period (if incumbent vendor is not selected)

Award and contract execution are both projected to occur within the extension period. If transition extends beyond February 19, 2027, DCFS will return for further CPO review well in advance of that date.

DCFS will continue providing weekly status updates to the SPO throughout the extension period.

5. Does this emergency contract correct or eliminate the emergency condition?

Yes No Please detail:

The competitive solicitation (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53611) was published on October 9, 2026 and is actively in the bidding period. Offers close November 13, 2026. Evaluation is scheduled to begin November 30, 2026, with award publication projected for December 30, 2026 and contract execution targeted for February 2, 2027. Upon execution of the new competitively procured contract, the emergency condition will be fully eliminated.

6. Explain why the need cannot be met through a competitive procurement process.

DCFS is actively meeting this need through a competitive procurement. The competitive solicitation (BidBuy 26-418DCFS- PROCU-B-53611) was published on October 9, 2026. The extension does not reflect an inability to procure competitively — it provides the time necessary to complete the evaluation, award, contract execution, and transition phases of a competitive procurement that is already underway and on schedule.

The services under this contract — federal claiming, eligibility determination, IT system maintenance, and audit support — cannot be interrupted during the procurement process without placing hundreds of millions in annual federal revenue at risk.

The emergency extension bridges the period between the expiration of the current emergency contract and the execution of the new competitively awarded contract.

Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page 6 of 7

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite #500

Vendor: Diversified Services Network (DSN)

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 406 E. Monroe Street

Requesting Agency: CFS - Children and Family Services Division: Budget and Finance

7. Is a competitive procurement in process to replace this emergency contract?

Yes No Status: published

The competitive solicitation (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53611) was published on October 9, 2026. A Non-Mandatory Pre- Submission Conference was held October 14, 2026. Offers close November 13, 2026. Evaluation is scheduled to begin November 30, 2026, with award publication projected for December 30, 2026, and contract execution targeted for February 2, 2027.

8. What is the effect of a denial of this extension request?

Denial of this extension would terminate the emergency contract on November 21, 2026 — eight days after offers close and before the evaluation can begin. DCFS would lose the vendor resources performing all federal claiming, eligibility determination, IT system maintenance, and audit support functions currently provided under this contract.

The immediate consequences would include:

• Loss of federal revenue: DCFS' quarterly Title IV-E foster care, adoption assistance, and guardianship claiming operations would cease. The Department claimed approximately $399.8 million in Title IV-E reimbursements in SFY 2026. Each quarter of missed or delayed claiming represents approximately $100 million in federal revenue at risk.

• TANF and related claiming disruption: Emergency Assistance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families claiming, which generates approximately $68.8 million annually, would be disrupted.

• Audit exposure: DCFS would be unable to prepare for, respond to, or support ongoing and scheduled federal audits.

Unresolved audit findings can result in federal disallowances requiring repayment of previously claimed funds.

• IT system failure risk: The legacy mainframe and web-based systems supporting federal claiming would lose their sole maintenance and support capability. System failures during an unsupported period could result in data loss or corruption affecting historical claiming records.

• Active procurement undermined: The competitive solicitation published October 9, 2026 is in the bidding period. A denial would require DCFS to either proceed with evaluation and award while the services are not being performed — creating operational risk during transition — or withdraw the solicitation entirely and restart after a new emergency is declared.

The extension preserves service continuity during the final phases of an active, on-schedule competitive procurement. Award and contract execution are both projected to occur within the extension period.

Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page 7 of 7

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite #500

Vendor: Diversified Services Network (DSN)

Zip: 62701State: ILCity: SpringfieldAddress: 406 E. Monroe Street

Requesting Agency: CFS - Children and Family Services Division: Budget and Finance

Original BidBuy Reference #: B- 52416

Signatures below cannot be delegated.

APO Signature I am requesting an extension of the requested emergency contract. I believe all statements herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

APO Signature: Date: Oct 14, 2026

SPO Signature

SPO Signature: Date: Oct 14, 2026

CPO Signature Based on my review, I approve the Agency to proceed in accordance with the emergency contract extension detailed in this document.

Based upon my review, I approve the Agency to proceed with the following changes:

CPO Signature: Date: Oct 20, 2026

Page of

Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v. 26.1

EMERGENCY PURCHASE EXTENSION APPROVAL

State of Illinois Chief Procurement Office for General Services Emergency Purchase Extension Approval v.26.1 Page of Section 20-30(a) of the Procurement Code provides that a contract for an emergency may be extended beyond 90 calendar days with the approval of the chief procurement officer (CPO). Prior to execution of the extension, the CPO shall receive this completed form justifying the extension. The duration of the extension shall be limited to the scope of the emergency.

Extension Justification Actual or Estimated:

Has this emergency contract been extended before? Please detail in the space below:

BidBuy Reference # Amount Start Date End Date

1. Provide detail about the events that led the agency to conduct an emergency procurement:

2. What is the scope of work of the initial emergency contract? Please detail below:

3. Does this extension change the scope of work?

If yes, please detail below:

4. Provide justification for extending the original emergency contract:

5. Does this emergency contract correct or eliminate the emergency condition?

Please detail:

6. Explain why the need cannot be met through a competitive procurement process.

7. Is a competitive procurement in process to replace this emergency contract?

8. What is the effect of a denial of this extension request?

Signatures below cannot be delegated.

APO Signature I am requesting an extension of the requested emergency contract. I believe all statements herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

SPO Signature CPO Signature 11.0.0.20130303.1.892433.887364

First Emergency (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-50089; November 28, 2025 – February 25, 2026)

Prior to the expiration of the predecessor contract, DCFS was pursuing two parallel procurement strategies: preparation of a sole economically feasible source justification to maintain service continuity, and preliminary planning for a competitive solicitation. Due to the complexity of the services, the interdependence of multiple legacy and web-based federal claiming systems, and the significant federal audit implications involved, both efforts required extensive internal coordination and review. As the contract expiration approached, it became clear that neither could be completed in time to prevent a lapse in services supporting hundreds of millions in annual federal revenue. DCFS declared an emergency procurement on November 28, 2025.

Extension of First Emergency (Attempted)

Prior to the February 25, 2026 expiration of the first emergency, DCFS prepared and submitted an extension request. That extension was not completed in time to be executed before the emergency period expired.

Second Emergency (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-51068; February 26, 2026 – May 25, 2026)

DCFS declared a second emergency effective February 26, 2026 to maintain uninterrupted continuity of critical federal claiming, audit support, and system maintenance services. During this period DCFS discontinued the sole economically feasible source procurement, which had undergone multiple rounds of SPO review without approval, and returned full focus to the competitive RFP. An updated RFP was transmitted to the program area for technical requirements review on February 10, 2026. Development and refinement of requirements, evaluation criteria, and mandatory qualifications continued through this period. An extension of the second emergency was requested. On May 4, 2026, the SPO determined there was insufficient support for the extension given the status of the RFP at that time.

Third Emergency (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-52416; May 26, 2026 – August 23, 2026)

DCFS declared a third emergency effective May 26, 2026 to maintain continuity of critical services while the competitive RFP was advanced. During this period the RFP was submitted to the SPO for review on multiple occasions. The Senior State Purchasing Officer conducted two partial reviews and was unable to complete review due to structural deficiencies in the document, including issues with evaluation methodology, scoring completeness, and the overall organization of the solicitation. The SPO indicated she could not support the six-month extension request given the current state of the RFP.

In direct response to the SPO's direction, the Deputy Director of the Office of Contract Administration personally assumed leadership of the RFP rebuild. A meeting with the program area was conducted August 6, 2026 to align on procurement methodology and the structural requirements of a competitive RFP.

First Emergency Extension (BidBuy 27-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53389; August 24, 2026 – November 21, 2026)

The new solicitation was built from scratch using a blank CPO-GS RFP Template. DCFS committed to a specific and time-bound objective for the first extension: completing and publishing the competitive solicitation and opening the bidding period.

The following actions were completed during the first extension period:

• August 10, 2026: New RFP draft transmitted to the program area for expedited review

• August 13, 2026: Rebuilt RFP submitted to SPO for review

• August 19 – September 22, 2026: Five rounds of SPO review completed; all SPO comments addressed and resolved

• September 30, 2026: Solicitation submitted to BidBuy

• October 1 and October 5, 2026: BidBuy submissions returned by SPO with final corrections; resubmitted same day each time

• October 9, 2026: Competitive solicitation published on BidBuy as 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53611

• October 14, 2026: Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference held

DCFS met its commitment. The competitive solicitation is published and the bidding period is open. Offers close November 13, 2026.

DCFS acknowledges that three consecutive emergency procurements and two extension requests reflect procurement planning and execution failures for which the Department takes full responsibility. This second extension is necessary to complete the final phases of a procurement that is now actively in progress and on schedule.

TextField13: The scope of work of the initial emergency contract is limited to the continuation of existing mission-critical services that directly support federal program eligibility determination, claiming, revenue protection, and audit compliance. These services are operational in nature and are necessary to prevent disruption to ongoing federal claiming activities.

Specifically, the emergency contract provides for:

• Maintenance, support, and limited enhancement of complex application software and databases supporting federal program eligibility and claiming.

• Ongoing support of integrated IT application systems in both web-based and mainframe environments.

• Preparation, maintenance, and improvement of DCFS’ quarterly Title IV-E reimbursement claims, including identification of allowable but unclaimed costs.

• Continued operation of Emergency Assistance claiming as part of the State’s Maintenance of Effort.

• Maintenance and updates to the Public Assistance Cost Allocation Plan (PACAP) as required by federal or State changes.

• Technical support for federal claiming-related systems, including but not limited to MARS FFP Applications, Emergency Assistance Claiming Systems, Medical Assistance Systems, Managed Care coordination, Child Support interfaces, Home of Relative and Certified Homes systems, Trust Accounting System, Subsidy Tracking System, CWCA and Clearance Tracking systems, Court Tracking System, and the Title IV-E and Title IV-B Claim Development System (CARS).

• First-level federal financial participation review of adoption and guardianship subsidy cases approaching finalization, consistent with State and federal requirements.

• Audit preparation, documentation review, and on-site support for federal and State audits related to foster care, adoption, and guardianship claiming.

• Support for federal on-site reviews and monitoring of permanency timelines.

• Ongoing technical and programmatic assistance to DCFS program units, IT partners, fiscal staff, legal staff, and inter-agency partners as it relates to federal eligibility and claiming.

The emergency contract does not include new initiatives, new system development beyond what is operationally required to maintain continuity, or any expansion of services beyond those necessary to address the emergency condition.

Actions Completed During the First Extension Period (August 24 – November 21, 2026)

During the first extension period, DCFS accomplished the following:

• Rebuilt the competitive solicitation from scratch under the personal leadership of the Deputy Director of OCA

• Submitted the new RFP to the SPO on August 13, 2026

• Completed five rounds of SPO review between August 19 and September 22, 2026, addressing and resolving all SPO comments

• Submitted the solicitation to BidBuy on September 30, 2026; addressed two additional rounds of BidBuy corrections

• Published the competitive solicitation on October 9, 2026 (BidBuy 26-418DCFS-PROCU-B-53611)

• Held a Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference on October 14, 2026

Why the Competitive Procurement Has Not Yet Been Completed

The competitive solicitation was published on October 9, 2026, which was 46 days into the 90-day first extension period. The remaining procurement phases — offer closing, evaluation, award, protest resolution, contract execution, and transition — require approximately 112 days from publication. DCFS could not have published the solicitation earlier: the rebuilt RFP required five rounds of SPO review and two BidBuy submission cycles, all of which were completed as expeditiously as possible. The procurement timeline from publication through contract execution extends beyond the November 21, 2026 expiration of the first extension.

Why 90 Days Is Necessary and What Will Be Accomplished

The second extension covers the period November 22, 2026 through February 19, 2027. During this period, DCFS will complete:

• November 13, 2026: Offer closing date

• November 30, 2026: Evaluation committee kick-off meeting

• November 30 – December 14, 2026: Evaluation period

• December 15, 2026: Price opening

• December 22, 2026: Best and Final Offer (BAFO)

• December 30, 2026: Award publication date

• December 30, 2026 – January 13, 2027: Protest period

• February 2, 2027: Contract execution date (target)

• February 2 – March 31, 2027: Transition period (if incumbent vendor is not selected)

Award and contract execution are both projected to occur within the extension period. If transition extends beyond February 19, 2027, DCFS will return for further CPO review well in advance of that date.

DCFS will continue providing weekly status updates to the SPO throughout the extension period.

The services under this contract — federal claiming, eligibility determination, IT system maintenance, and audit support — cannot be interrupted during the procurement process without placing hundreds of millions in annual federal revenue at risk. The emergency extension bridges the period between the expiration of the current emergency contract and the execution of the new competitively awarded contract.

The immediate consequences would include:

• Loss of federal revenue: DCFS' quarterly Title IV-E foster care, adoption assistance, and guardianship claiming operations would cease. The Department claimed approximately $399.8 million in Title IV-E reimbursements in SFY 2026. Each quarter of missed or delayed claiming represents approximately $100 million in federal revenue at risk.

• TANF and related claiming disruption: Emergency Assistance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families claiming, which generates approximately $68.8 million annually, would be disrupted.

• Audit exposure: DCFS would be unable to prepare for, respond to, or support ongoing and scheduled federal audits. Unresolved audit findings can result in federal disallowances requiring repayment of previously claimed funds.

• IT system failure risk: The legacy mainframe and web-based systems supporting federal claiming would lose their sole maintenance and support capability. System failures during an unsupported period could result in data loss or corruption affecting historical claiming records.

• Active procurement undermined: The competitive solicitation published October 9, 2026 is in the bidding period. A denial would require DCFS to either proceed with evaluation and award while the services are not being performed — creating operational risk during transition — or withdraw the solicitation entirely and restart after a new emergency is declared.

The extension preserves service continuity during the final phases of an active, on-schedule competitive procurement. Award and contract execution are both projected to occur within the extension period.