Revenue Enhancement Emergency 3 90 Day Extension CPO Signed.pdf

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- 53389

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: Aug 24, 2026 Expected Extension End Date: Nov 23, 2026

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

$0.00

$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, and this extension request pertains to the third. The following summarizes the events leading to each and the actions taken during each emergency 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.

Due to the RFP deficiencies, the SPO indicated they 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. The new solicitation is being built from scratch with a draft targeted for program area review by August 10, 2026 and for submission to the SPO by August 14, 2026, with publication targeted September 1, 2026 pending SPO clearance.

DCFS acknowledges that three consecutive emergency procurements reflect procurement planning and execution failures for which the Department takes full responsibility. This three-month extension is a checkpoint, not an indefinite bridge. The Department's commitment is specific and time-bound: a new compliant solicitation submitted to the SPO by August 14, 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 published by September 1, and evaluated within the extension period. DCFS will provide the SPO with weekly updates during the extension and will return for CPO review well in advance of the November 23, 2026 end date if further coverage is required to complete award, execution, and transition.

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.

• 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

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

4. Provide justification for extending the original emergency contract:

DCFS is requesting a three-month 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 a competitive procurement.

Actions Taken During the Current Emergency Period (May 26 – August 23, 2026)

During this emergency period, DCFS undertook the following actions in advancement of the competitive procurement:

• Internal requirements development and review, including coordination between the program area, the Agency Procurement Officer, and IT stakeholders

• RFP submitted to the SPO for review on multiple occasions; the Senior SPO conducted two partial reviews

• Following the Senior SPO's direction to start over with a clean document, the Deputy Director of the Office of Contract Administration personally assumed leadership of the RFP rebuild

• Program area meeting conducted August 6, 2026 to align on procurement methodology and path forward

• New solicitation targeted for program area review by August 10, 2026 and SPO submission by August 14, 2026

Why the Solicitation Has Not Yet Been Published

The RFP was not published during the current emergency period because the solicitation document did not meet the structural and substantive requirements for publication. The Senior SPO identified deficiencies including issues with evaluation methodology, scoring completeness, and the overall organization of the document, and determined that the solicitation read as a combination of IFB, sole source, and RFP formats rather than a proper competitive solicitation. Two partial SPO reviews were conducted; neither could be completed due to the document's condition.

DCFS accepts full responsibility for these deficiencies. In direct response to the Senior SPO's direction, the Department is rebuilding the solicitation from scratch under the personal leadership of the Deputy Director of OCA. The new solicitation is targeted for SPO submission by August 14, 2026 and publication by September 1, 2026 pending SPO clearance.

Why Three Months Is Necessary and What Will Be Accomplished

DCFS is transparent that a three-month extension is a checkpoint, not a complete procurement cycle. The Department does not represent that award, contract execution, and transition can be completed within 90 days. What DCFS commits to accomplishing within the three-month extension period is the following:

• August 14, 2026: New RFP submitted to SPO for expedited review

• September 1, 2026: RFP publication date pending SPO clearance

• October 1, 2026: Bid closing and offer deadline

• October 5 – October 30, 2026: Evaluation period

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

• November 3, 2026: Price opening

• November 10, 2026: Best and final offer (BAFO)

• November 17, 2026: Award publication date

• November 17 – November 23, 2026: Start of protest period

• November 23, 2026: Three-month extension end date

Award, protest resolution, contract execution, and transition are projected to extend beyond November 23, 2026. DCFS will provide the SPO with weekly updates throughout the extension period and will return for CPO review well in advance of the November 23 end date if further coverage is required to complete those phases. The extension will be terminated as soon as a competitively procured contract is awarded, executed, and operationally capable of assuming responsibility for the services.

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

Yes No Please detail:

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

DCFS fully intends to meet this need through a competitive procurement and is actively working toward that outcome.

However, due to the timing of the emergency contract expiration, the complexity of the services, and the operational risk associated with transitioning federal claiming and audit-sensitive systems, the need cannot be met through a competitive procurement before the expiration of the current emergency contract.

A competitive procurement requires sufficient time for solicitation development, publication, evaluation, award, contract execution, and transition planning. Attempting to complete these steps prior to the expiration of the emergency contract would create an unacceptable risk of service disruption and potential loss of federal reimbursement. The emergency contract extension provides the necessary bridge period to complete the competitive process without jeopardizing critical State operations.

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

Yes No Status: in development

Yes. A competitive procurement is actively in process. Following the Senior SPO's direction to rebuild the solicitation from scratch, the Deputy Director of the Office of Contract Administration has personally assumed leadership of the new RFP development. The new solicitation is targeted for program area review by August 10, 2026 and SPO submission by August 14, 2026. Publication is targeted September 1, 2026 pending SPO clearance.

The full procurement timeline with committed milestone dates through contract execution and transition has been provided to the SPO and is attached to this request. The emergency contract will be terminated as soon as a competitively procured

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 contract has been awarded, executed, and the selected vendor is operationally capable of assuming responsibility for the services.

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

Denial of the emergency contract extension would result in a lapse in critical federal claiming, audit support, and system maintenance services. State staff do not have the capacity to immediately assume the highly specialized technical, programmatic, and project management functions currently performed under the emergency contract.

The effects of a denial would include, but are not limited to:

1. Disruption and delay of essential system maintenance and upgrades, reducing accuracy and timeliness of federal claiming processes.

2. Increased risk to federal reimbursement due to diminished audit readiness and inability to respond effectively to federal oversight activities.

3. Loss of critical expertise required to support ongoing system operations and to assist DCFS in preparing for a competitive procurement and transition.

4. Heightened risk of federal disallowances or financial penalties due to reduced compliance support.

These outcomes would directly impact the State’s ability to protect substantial federal revenues and maintain continuity of services for children and families served by DCFS.

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: Aug 7, 2026

SPO Signature

SPO Signature: Date: Aug 7, 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: Aug 12, 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. Due to the RFP deficiencies, the SPO indicated they 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. The new solicitation is being built from scratch with a draft targeted for program area review by August 10, 2026 and for submission to the SPO by August 14, 2026, with publication targeted September 1, 2026 pending SPO clearance.

DCFS acknowledges that three consecutive emergency procurements reflect procurement planning and execution failures for which the Department takes full responsibility. This three-month extension is a checkpoint, not an indefinite bridge. The Department's commitment is specific and time-bound: a new compliant solicitation submitted to the SPO by August 14, published by September 1, and evaluated within the extension period. DCFS will provide the SPO with weekly updates during the extension and will return for CPO review well in advance of the November 23, 2026 end date if further coverage is required to complete award, execution, and transition.

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 Taken During the Current Emergency Period (May 26 – August 23, 2026)

During this emergency period, DCFS undertook the following actions in advancement of the competitive procurement:

• Internal requirements development and review, including coordination between the program area, the Agency Procurement Officer, and IT stakeholders

• RFP submitted to the SPO for review on multiple occasions; the Senior SPO conducted two partial reviews

• Following the Senior SPO's direction to start over with a clean document, the Deputy Director of the Office of Contract Administration personally assumed leadership of the RFP rebuild

• Program area meeting conducted August 6, 2026 to align on procurement methodology and path forward

• New solicitation targeted for program area review by August 10, 2026 and SPO submission by August 14, 2026

Why the Solicitation Has Not Yet Been Published

The RFP was not published during the current emergency period because the solicitation document did not meet the structural and substantive requirements for publication. The Senior SPO identified deficiencies including issues with evaluation methodology, scoring completeness, and the overall organization of the document, and determined that the solicitation read as a combination of IFB, sole source, and RFP formats rather than a proper competitive solicitation. Two partial SPO reviews were conducted; neither could be completed due to the document's condition.

DCFS accepts full responsibility for these deficiencies. In direct response to the Senior SPO's direction, the Department is rebuilding the solicitation from scratch under the personal leadership of the Deputy Director of OCA. The new solicitation is targeted for SPO submission by August 14, 2026 and publication by September 1, 2026 pending SPO clearance.

Why Three Months Is Necessary and What Will Be Accomplished

DCFS is transparent that a three-month extension is a checkpoint, not a complete procurement cycle. The Department does not represent that award, contract execution, and transition can be completed within 90 days. What DCFS commits to accomplishing within the three-month extension period is the following:

• August 14, 2026: New RFP submitted to SPO for expedited review

• September 1, 2026: RFP publication date pending SPO clearance

• October 1, 2026: Bid closing and offer deadline

• October 5 – October 30, 2026: Evaluation period

• November 3, 2026: Price opening

• November 10, 2026: Best and final offer (BAFO)

• November 17, 2026: Award publication date

• November 17 – November 23, 2026: Start of protest period

• November 23, 2026: Three-month extension end date

Award, protest resolution, contract execution, and transition are projected to extend beyond November 23, 2026. DCFS will provide the SPO with weekly updates throughout the extension period and will return for CPO review well in advance of the November 23 end date if further coverage is required to complete those phases. The extension will be terminated as soon as a competitively procured contract is awarded, executed, and operationally capable of assuming responsibility for the services.

A competitive procurement requires sufficient time for solicitation development, publication, evaluation, award, contract execution, and transition planning. Attempting to complete these steps prior to the expiration of the emergency contract would create an unacceptable risk of service disruption and potential loss of federal reimbursement. The emergency contract extension provides the necessary bridge period to complete the competitive process without jeopardizing critical State operations.

The full procurement timeline with committed milestone dates through contract execution and transition has been provided to the SPO and is attached to this request. The emergency contract will be terminated as soon as a competitively procured contract has been awarded, executed, and the selected vendor is operationally capable of assuming responsibility for the services.

TextField14: Denial of the emergency contract extension would result in a lapse in critical federal claiming, audit support, and system maintenance services. State staff do not have the capacity to immediately assume the highly specialized technical, programmatic, and project management functions currently performed under the emergency contract.

The effects of a denial would include, but are not limited to:

1. Disruption and delay of essential system maintenance and upgrades, reducing accuracy and timeliness of federal claiming processes.

2. Increased risk to federal reimbursement due to diminished audit readiness and inability to respond effectively to federal oversight activities.

3. Loss of critical expertise required to support ongoing system operations and to assist DCFS in preparing for a competitive procurement and transition.

4. Heightened risk of federal disallowances or financial penalties due to reduced compliance support.

These outcomes would directly impact the State’s ability to protect substantial federal revenues and maintain continuity of services for children and families served by DCFS.