Signed Part I TISS-Goshen Sole-Source-Justification-Form.pdf

Sole Source Justification Form

Version 7.01 Page 1 of 7

Bulletin Reference Number 26-586SBE-CHFED-B-50842

Requesting Agency/University Illinois State Board of Education

Sole Source Justification Form - Part I Section I - General Information

Department/Bureau/Section: Wellness and Student Care

Need Identified Date: Mar 15, 2025 Supply/Service Need By Date: Nov 15, 2025

Project Title: SAMHSA: TISS/REACH OUT - Goshen

Vendor: Goshen Consulting

Provide a description of the supplies or services required:

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is a recipient of a School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) grant, a competitive grant, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Through this grant, ISBE has developed the REACH Out program in two geographic areas of Illinois to provide screening, referral, treatment, and training services to school districts related to trauma-informed services in schools. The REACH Out program has expanded upon existing programs and initiatives across the state related to trauma informed schools. This project targets the alternative education system including high need referral districts and regional alternative education programs, serving students with the highest need of assistance.

Under this grant, there is a need for a vendor to conduct evaluation services to monitor and evaluate progress toward achievement of the grant's goals and objectives. As these services have already begun, it is imperative that the vendor have the background knowledge, tools, resources, and relationships that have already been established.

Value: Actual Value of Initial Term, this Change Order or Amendment: 125,000

Will this Sole Source amend a Professional or Artistic Services contract? Yes No

*Sole Source may not be used for amendments for Professional or Artistic Services if the amendment would increase the value by more than 5% of the initial award or extend the term by more than 60 days.

Type: New Sole Economically Feasible Source

Section II - Proposed Term

One-Time Purchase Term Contract

Estimated Contract Begin Date: 12/1/25 or Upon Execution

Estimated Contract End Date: September 30, 2026

Number of Potential Renewals: 0

Length of Each Renewal in Months: 0

Total Value of All Renewals: 0

If a Term Contract, does the term, including renewals, exceed 12 months? Yes No

Section III - Funding Source Select the type of funding to be used (Check all that apply): State Appropriate Funds Federal Funds Other (Explain):

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Bulletin Reference Number 26-586SBE-CHFED-B-50842

Requesting Agency/University Illinois State Board of Education

Section IV - Sole Source Justification

This purchase is economically only available from a single source primarily because it is: (If "Other" explain in one sentence)

ISBE Leadership selected this vendor due to their expertise in relation to this grant and other contracts with ISBE in alignment with this w

Are there secondary justification(s) for this sole source? Yes No

Section V - Purchase History

Has the Agency or University Purchased these supplies or services in the past? Yes No

Term Term From Term To Value Description Contract Number Type

1 Sep 30, 2022 Jun 30, 2024 125,000

Goshen provided services as a subcontractor under West 40, the vendor named in Contract 24027.

Goshen has provided formative evaluation services such that data collection and performance management informs implementation and enables course corrections.

Bimonthly quality improvement meetings between the Director, Evaluator, and lead staff from partner organizations has established a workflow whereby data are used to identify successes, barriers, and solutions to support ongoing quality improvement.

24027 Exemption

If more than 10, or if other comments, explain:

Section VI - Business Rationale

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Bulletin Reference Number 26-586SBE-CHFED-B-50842

Requesting Agency/University Illinois State Board of Education

1. Provide a detailed explanation of the need for the supplies or services:

ISBE is the recipient of a School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) and Mental Health Care for Children and Youth grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This grant provides funding to increase student access to evidence-based and culturally relevant trauma support services and mental health care by developing innovative initiatives, activities, and programs to link local school systems with local trauma-informed support and mental health systems.

The Cooperative Agreements for School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) and Mental Health Care for Children and Youth |SchoolSafety.gov can be found at: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/tiss.

Youth in Illinois experience a significant amount of mental health challenges. Research estimates that one in five students will experience a significant mental health problem during their school years. A 2024 report found that approximately half of Illinois children and adolescents experienced one or more worsening mental health symptoms – a trend that has remained relatively stable since 2022. Illinois youth have reported higher rates of suicide ideation than the rest of the nation (Jones, 2022). High school students with depression are two times more likely to drop out than their peers (NAMI, 2023). Approximately 70% of those who need treatment will not receive appropriate mental health services. The shortage of adequately trained mental health professionals who serve children contributes to unmet psychological needs among youth, which can lead to negative outcomes in educational settings (SAMHSA, 2019).

2. Provide a list and describe in detail the specifications required to satisfy the need:

The goal of the evaluation of REACH Out is to monitor progress toward achievement of the goals and objectives. Evaluation will occur formatively, such that data collection and performance management informs implementation and enables course corrections.

Bimonthly quality improvement meetings are needed between the Director, Evaluator, and lead staff from partner organizations to use data to identify successes, barriers, and solutions to support ongoing quality improvement. The evaluator will be responsible for ensuring that all partner organizations as well as ISBE are providing data to SAMHSA as required. All data collected will be stored to protect privacy and confidentiality, in accordance with ethical standards. The table provided in the "TISS Goshen Sole Source Supplement" document outlines the plan for the data related to the remaining objectives.

Data collection must include a screening tool, Trauma Events Screening Inventory for Children (TESI-C) and Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI). Any student who may benefit from the Bounce Back, CBITS or SPARCS intervention will complete the TESI-C prior to beginning the intervention and again post-intervention.

In addition to the completed TESI-C, our evaluation team will also need to collect students’ academic, attendance, and discipline data.

Due to the scale of the work relative to available resources and to minimize the burden, the evaluation will primarily focus on extant sources of data. These will include data routinely collected by the state (school report card and school climate data) as well as data collected during REACH implementation.

The evaluator will also need to administer a short survey annually to school REACH team leaders involved in REACH work. This survey will assess knowledge and attitudes about trauma-responsive approaches, satisfaction with the support provided, self-report of implementation progress, and perceptions of potential effects.

Additional detailed activities identified in ISBE's proposal for this awarded grant can be found on the attached "TISS Goshen Sole Source Supplement."

3. Provide detail explaining the justification selected in Section IV to explain why the requested supplies or services are the only ones available that can satisfy the agency or university requirements?

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is a recipient of a School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) grant, a competitive grant, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In ISBE's awarded proposal for this grant, the activities shared above were specifically named and, and the grant was awarded based on those activities. This project represents the most economically feasible solution to address the evaluation of the TISS grant work. By leveraging grant funding, we can implement a cost-effective approach that minimizes long-term expenses, reduces reliance on more costly alternatives, and delivers measurable savings over time. This vendor is able to provide services with the amount specified within the grant. Without this grant, the initiative would be financially unattainable, limiting our ability to achieve sustainable outcomes and maximize impact within available resources. All work that was previously being done for this grant was paused at the end of FY 2024 in the absence of an ongoing contract. At this time, with less than one year remaining in the federal grant term, it would be impossible to adequately seek an alternative vendor and acclimate them to the work sufficiently to be able to continue the services with any degree of continuity.

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Bulletin Reference Number 26-586SBE-CHFED-B-50842

Requesting Agency/University Illinois State Board of Education

4. What are the unique features of the supplies or services that are not available in any other product or by any other vendor? Provide specific quantifiable factors/qualifications:

The activities described above have been specifically named in ISBE's grant proposal, thereby making them requirements for compliance with the grant. Goshen Consulting has already begun this work, so their continued involvement is imperative to ensure that the background knowledge, tools, resources, and relationships that have already been established continue with fidelity.

In developing the proposal for this grant and its implementation plans, ISBE Leadership selected Goshen Consulting to conduct this work due to their expert knowledge of SAMHSA's evaluation process and requirements, as evidenced by their high quality work on a similar project for ISBE, also funded under SAMHSA. Other vendors who lacked such historical knowledge and expertise would be unable to provide the same level of service as Goshen.

For more than 15 years, Goshen Consulting has partnered with schools, nonprofits, universities, and foundations to drive meaningful change in communities nationwide. Goshen approaches each one as an opportunity to learn and grow together. They focus on evaluation, strategic planning, and training, but their greatest impact comes from supporting people and communities. Grounded in trust and community wisdom, Goshen listens deeply and transforms data into stories that spark clarity and action. As members of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and co-founders of the Evaluation Association of St. Louis (EASL), Goshen is dedicated to building solutions that endure and relationships that strengthen over time.

As indicated above, this vendor has already engaged in a great deal of highly meaningful work required for this Federal grant, and has developed complex systems and workstreams. These processes have been highly customized to align the vendor’s expertise and services to the unique needs of the communities being served, but such work ceased at the conclusion of FY 2024 when the previous contract ended, and has been paused ever since. In consideration thereof, combined with the reality that there currently remains less than one year on the Federal grant term, it would be impossible to identify an alternative vendor who has the same level of expertise and the knowledge of and relationships with the communities being served, and to acclimate them to the work with any opportunity for meaningful continuity of services.

5. Has the Agency or University considered alternative supplies or services to satisfy their need? Yes No

5a. If no, why weren't alternatives evaluated?

Goshen was selected for these services in FY 2023 after the previously named vendor was unsuccessful in completing the contract deliverables. Selected for their expertise in the applicable subject areas, high level of contextual knowledge of the evaluation requirements of the Federal grant funder, and intimate understanding of the needs and requirements of ISBE and the communities served attained from work on similar projects, Goshen has successfully undertaken a great deal of the work required for ISBE’s successful implementation of this Federal grant. With the processes and workstreams that they developed and implemented leading up to the pause of work at the end of FY 2024 due to the absence of a contract, coupled with the reality that less than one year remains in the Federal grant term, it is unrealistic and futile to attempt to identify an alternative provider who has the same level and breadth of expertise and would be able to effectively transition into this work or meaningfully rebuild the systems that have already been put in place.

6. Are there resellers or distributors?

Yes No N/A

7. What efforts were made to get the best possible price (i.e. did the agency/university negotiate) and how did you determine the price for this purchase is considered fair and reasonable?

While planning for these grant activities, ISBE Leadership analyzed the scope and services required in comparison and alignment with costs for similar services purchased relative to other grants, and determined these prices to be fair and reasonable.

8. Will this purchase obligate the State to this vendor for future purchases such as maintenance, licensing or continuing need?

Yes No

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Bulletin Reference Number 26-586SBE-CHFED-B-50842

Requesting Agency/University Illinois State Board of Education

9. What will be the financial or other impact to the State if this sole source is not approved and a competitive bid is required?

If this sole source is not approved, the impact to the State will be significant, specifically in terms of the removal of the provision of mental health services to students, families, and communities in need throughout Illinois. Because this vendor’s work on this project is well underway but paused since the conclusion of FY 2024, combined with the reality that less than one year remains in the Federal grant term and it would not be possible to transition this work to an alternative vendor even if one were successfully identified, which in and of itself is not realistic, the disapproval of this sole source would result in the permanent discontinuation of the highly important work that has already begun. In addition, bringing in a new vendor for evaluation typically involves on-boarding overhead, which could mean additional costs from $5k to 20k+.

The project aims to serve a minimum of 6,750 students by project's end, and likely many more indirectly as a result of the trainings staff receive and their impacts on the staff's ongoing work. If this sole source is not approved, thousands of students will lose these critical mental health support opportunities.

10. Is there any additional information you would like to add to justify this sole source?

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Bulletin Reference Number 26-586SBE-CHFED-B-50842

Requesting Agency/University Illinois State Board of Education

Section VII

Requesting Department Representative

Requesting Department Signature Required

I know and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and attest that all statements are true and correct and the fairness and reasonableness of the price was adequately confirmed.

Date Jan 14, 2026

Printed Name Dr. Tiffany Burnett E-mail Address tiburnet@isbe.net

Phone Number (312) 814-3995

State Agency Bureau/Division Head or University Purchasing Director Approval and Signature Required

I know and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and attest that all statements are true and correct and the fairness and reasonableness of the price was adequately confirmed. (All prior form fields will lock once this e-signature is completed)

E-mail Address

Phone Number Date

Printed Name

Agency Bureau/Division Head or University Purchasing Director and Not a Designee

SPO Approval and Signature Required

I have reviewed and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and agree with the State Agency or University determination.

I have reviewed and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and do not agree with the State Agency or University determination. As a result, the State Agency or University must explore other sourcing methods to satisfy their need.

State Purchasing Officer Signature Phone Number 217-299-0935 Date

Printed Name Colene Underwood E-mail Address Colene.Underwood@Illinois.gov

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Bulletin Reference Number 26-586SBE-CHFED-B-50842

Requesting Agency/University Illinois State Board of Education

Sole Source Justification Form - Part II Section I - General Information

Project Title

Vendor

Initial Date of Procurement Bulletin Posting

Was a Sole Source hearing held per 30 ILCS 500/20-25?

Yes - Complete Section II and III below (Section II will only be visible when this option is selected)

No - Section II not required, go to Section III below Section III - CPO Approval and Signature Required

Based on my review, I authorize the Agency/University to proceed in accordance with the published Notice referenced above.

Based upon my review, I authorize the Agency/University to proceed with the following Changes.

Based on my review, the Agency/University is not authorized to proceed with this sole source as presented and my recommendation is that it be cancelled.

Other

CPO Signature CPO Phone

Printed Name Date

CPO E-mail

Version 7.01 Page of Sole Source Justification Form - Part I Section I - General Information Will this Sole Source amend a Professional or Artistic Services contract?

If yes, what was the original contract value?

*Sole Source may not be used for amendments for Professional or Artistic Services if the amendment would increase the value by more than 5% of the initial award or extend the term by more than 60 days.

Section II - Proposed Term If a Term Contract, does the term, including renewals, exceed 12 months?

If yes, provide a detailed justification including any economic benefit received for agreeing to a multi-year term:

Section III - Funding Source Select the type of funding to be used (Check all that apply):

Section IV - Sole Source Justification Are there secondary justification(s) for this sole source?

Section V - Purchase History Has the Agency or University Purchased these supplies or services in the past?

Term Term From Term To Value Description Contract Number Type Section VI - Business Rationale

1. Provide a detailed explanation of the need for the supplies or services:

2. Provide a list and describe in detail the specifications required to satisfy the need:

3. Provide detail explaining the justification selected in Section IV to explain why the requested supplies or services are the only ones available that can satisfy the agency or university requirements?

4. What are the unique features of the supplies or services that are not available in any other product or by any other vendor? Provide specific quantifiable factors/qualifications:

5. Has the Agency or University considered alternative supplies or services to satisfy their need?

5a. If yes, name the alternative vendors whose supplies or services were evaluated:

5b. If yes, what were the alternatives for each vendor and why were they unacceptable? Be specific with regard to features, characteristics, requirements, capabilities and compatibility:

5c. Explain how the market evaluation was conducted?

*This evaluation is to determine available options within a market. If the evaluation is to determine quality or best suited option, this is not the appropriate source selection. Under no circumstances shall the evaluation consist of testing alternative options. These activities must be conducted in a competitive transparent environment (i.e. IFB or RFP).

5a. If no, why weren't alternatives evaluated?

6. Are there resellers or distributors?

7. What efforts were made to get the best possible price (i.e. did the agency/university negotiate) and how did you determine the price for this purchase is considered fair and reasonable?

8. Will this purchase obligate the State to this vendor for future purchases such as maintenance, licensing or continuing need?

8a. If yes, please provide details regarding future obligations and/or needs:

9. What will be the financial or other impact to the State if this sole source is not approved and a competitive bid is required?

10. Is there any additional information you would like to add to justify this sole source?

Section VII Requesting Department Signature Required I know and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and attest that all statements are true and correct and the fairness and reasonableness of the price was adequately confirmed.

State Agency Bureau/Division Head or University Purchasing Director Approval and Signature Required I know and understand the contents of this Sole Source Justification and attest that all statements are true and correct and the fairness and reasonableness of the price was adequately confirmed. (All prior form fields will lock once this e-signature is completed) SPO Approval and Signature Required Sole Source Justification Form - Part II Section I - General Information Was a Sole Source hearing held per 30 ILCS 500/20-25?

Section II - Sole Source Hearing Details The State posted to the Illinois Procurement Bulletin a description of the State's need, the justification for the sole source decision, and information regarding the opportunity to submit comments and testify at a public hearing. Notice of the hearing was also posted outside of the hearing room 48 hours prior to the hearing.

The public hearing was conducted for the purpose of receiving testimony regarding the sole source determination. The Hearing Officer recommends the following:

The following relevant documents are attached:

Section III - CPO Approval and Signature Required 9.0.0.2.20101008.1.734229

Through this grant, ISBE has developed the REACH Out program in two geographic areas of Illinois to provide screening, referral, treatment, and training services to school districts related to trauma-informed services in schools. The REACH Out program has expanded upon existing programs and initiatives across the state related to trauma informed schools. This project targets the alternative education system including high need referral districts and regional alternative education programs, serving students with the highest need of assistance.

Under this grant, there is a need for a vendor to conduct evaluation services to monitor and evaluate progress toward achievement of the grant's goals and objectives. As these services have already begun, it is imperative that the vendor have the background knowledge, tools, resources, and relationships that have already been established.

The Cooperative Agreements for School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) and Mental Health Care for Children and Youth |SchoolSafety.gov can be found at: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/tiss.

Youth in Illinois experience a significant amount of mental health challenges. Research estimates that one in five students will experience a significant mental health problem during their school years. A 2024 report found that approximately half of Illinois children and adolescents experienced one or more worsening mental health symptoms – a trend that has remained relatively stable since 2022. Illinois youth have reported higher rates of suicide ideation than the rest of the nation (Jones, 2022). High school students with depression are two times more likely to drop out than their peers (NAMI, 2023). Approximately 70% of those who need treatment will not receive appropriate mental health services. The shortage of adequately trained mental health professionals who serve children contributes to unmet psychological needs among youth, which can lead to negative outcomes in educational settings (SAMHSA, 2019).

Q2Answer: The goal of the evaluation of REACH Out is to monitor progress toward achievement of the goals and objectives. Evaluation will occur formatively, such that data collection and performance management informs implementation and enables course corrections.

Bimonthly quality improvement meetings are needed between the Director, Evaluator, and lead staff from partner organizations to use data to identify successes, barriers, and solutions to support ongoing quality improvement. The evaluator will be responsible for ensuring that all partner organizations as well as ISBE are providing data to SAMHSA as required. All data collected will be stored to protect privacy and confidentiality, in accordance with ethical standards. The table provided in the "TISS Goshen Sole Source Supplement" document outlines the plan for the data related to the remaining objectives.

Data collection must include a screening tool, Trauma Events Screening Inventory for Children (TESI-C) and Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI). Any student who may benefit from the Bounce Back, CBITS or SPARCS intervention will complete the TESI-C prior to beginning the intervention and again post-intervention.

In addition to the completed TESI-C, our evaluation team will also need to collect students’ academic, attendance, and discipline data. Due to the scale of the work relative to available resources and to minimize the burden, the evaluation will primarily focus on extant sources of data. These will include data routinely collected by the state (school report card and school climate data) as well as data collected during REACH implementation.

The evaluator will also need to administer a short survey annually to school REACH team leaders involved in REACH work. This survey will assess knowledge and attitudes about trauma-responsive approaches, satisfaction with the support provided, self-report of implementation progress, and perceptions of potential effects.

Additional detailed activities identified in ISBE's proposal for this awarded grant can be found on the attached "TISS Goshen Sole Source Supplement."

In developing the proposal for this grant and its implementation plans, ISBE Leadership selected Goshen Consulting to conduct this work due to their expert knowledge of SAMHSA's evaluation process and requirements, as evidenced by their high quality work on a similar project for ISBE, also funded under SAMHSA. Other vendors who lacked such historical knowledge and expertise would be unable to provide the same level of service as Goshen.

For more than 15 years, Goshen Consulting has partnered with schools, nonprofits, universities, and foundations to drive meaningful change in communities nationwide. Goshen approaches each one as an opportunity to learn and grow together. They focus on evaluation, strategic planning, and training, but their greatest impact comes from supporting people and communities. Grounded in trust and community wisdom, Goshen listens deeply and transforms data into stories that spark clarity and action. As members of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and co-founders of the Evaluation Association of St. Louis (EASL), Goshen is dedicated to building solutions that endure and relationships that strengthen over time.

As indicated above, this vendor has already engaged in a great deal of highly meaningful work required for this Federal grant, and has developed complex systems and workstreams. These processes have been highly customized to align the vendor’s expertise and services to the unique needs of the communities being served, but such work ceased at the conclusion of FY 2024 when the previous contract ended, and has been paused ever since. In consideration thereof, combined with the reality that there currently remains less than one year on the Federal grant term, it would be impossible to identify an alternative vendor who has the same level of expertise and the knowledge of and relationships with the communities being served, and to acclimate them to the work with any opportunity for meaningful continuity of services.

The project aims to serve a minimum of 6,750 students by project's end, and likely many more indirectly as a result of the trainings staff receive and their impacts on the staff's ongoing work. If this sole source is not approved, thousands of students will lose these critical mental health support opportunities.