SSJF APSTC Contract 2 10.5.2026 SPO signed.pdf

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Sole Source Justification Form 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 ellen.h.daley@illinois.gov

The APS program operates within a complex legal, regulatory, and multidisciplinary environment that requires training beyond standard social service education. APS professionals must apply specialized knowledge of Illinois statutes, administrative rules, federal requirements, investigative practices, ethical decision-making, and evidence-informed intervention strategies while responding to vulnerable adults experiencing complex physical, cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial conditions. As laws, best practices, and emerging trends continue to evolve, ongoing curriculum development and subject matter expertise are necessary to ensure that training remains current, accurate, and aligned with state and federal requirements.

This provider-level training will enable IDoA's APS program to remain responsive to emerging trends, evolving best practices, and the increasingly complex needs of vulnerable adults served throughout Illinois. Continuous development of specialized training ensures that APS professionals are equipped with current knowledge, evidence-informed practices, and practical skills necessary to effectively investigate allegations, assess risks, engage clients, and implement appropriate interventions in a rapidly changing service environment.

To effectively fulfill these responsibilities, IDoA must provide ongoing development and delivery of advanced training that extends beyond initial employee orientation and basic certification. APS is a highly specialized field of practice that requires continuous updates to training curricula to reflect changes in state and federal laws, emerging forms of abuse and exploitation, evolving investigative techniques, advances in assessment tools, and nationally recognized best practices. As new risks emerge and expectations for APS programs continue to evolve, training materials must be regularly evaluated, revised, and expanded to ensure staff possess the competencies necessary to provide consistent, high-quality services statewide.

In addition to supporting the competency of the APS workforce, IDoA is responsible for developing and providing specialized training to external partners whose roles are critical to the identification and reporting of adult abuse, abandonment, neglect, and financial exploitation. This includes the development and delivery of financial exploitation training for employees of financial institutions who will become designated as mandated reporters under Illinois law. The financial exploitation training is required to be completed prior to January 1, 2027, as a result of negotiation with the financial associations and is included in House Bill 4911. The development of this training requires specialized expertise in APS practice, financial exploitation investigations, applicable state laws and reporting requirements, indicators of financial exploitation, documentation standards, confidentiality requirements, and effective collaboration between financial institutions and APS. Training must also be tailored to the unique responsibilities of financial institution personnel while ensuring consistency with Illinois law, APS policies, and nationally recognized best practices.

Q2Answer: The Contractor shall develop, revise and deliver specialized training curricula for the Illinois APS program. The curricula shall be specifically tailored to the Illinois APS program and shall incorporate applicable federal requirements, Illinois statutes and administrative rules, IDoA APS policies and procedures, nationally recognized APS best practices, and adult learning objectives.

The required subject areas may include, but are not limited to, field safety; disability etiquette and effective communication with adults with disabilities; trauma-informed care; professional documentation; motivational interviewing; complex investigations; risk assessment; case planning; self-neglect; mental illness and behavioral health; sexual abuse; financial exploitation; mandated reporter requirements; difficult client interactions; and screening for decisional capacity using validated assessment tools.

The Contractor shall develop new training, revise existing or outdated training, and provide train-the-trainer instruction for the following curricula required for the Illinois APS workforce and designated mandated reporters.

1. APS Supervisor Training: This training shall be designed for APS professionals responsible for supervising APS caseworkers. The curriculum shall address, at a minimum, leadership expectations, performance management, difficult conversations, time management and prioritization, documentation, coaching and accountability, professional communication, decision-making and consistency, and motivational interviewing. The training shall incorporate supervisor-focused scenarios, decision-making exercises, reflection ativities, discussion prompts, and practical examples applicable to APS supervision.

2. Mandated Reporter Training: this training shall be designed for APS professionals and individuals designated as mandated reporters under Illinois law. The curriculum shall provide instruction on recognizing and reporting allegations of maltreatment and self-neglect involving older adults and adults with disabilities. The training shall address applicable Illinois mandated reporter requirements, the APS reporting process, and the role and responsibilities of mandated reporters in identifying and reporting suspected maltreatment.

3. B*Safe Financial Exploitation Training: This training shall be designed for employees of financial institutions designated as mandated reporters under Illinois law. The curriculum shall provide material about financial exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities, including misappropriation of funds, unauthorized financial transactions, theft of personal belongings, assets and money, real estate exploitation, power of attorney abuse, extortion and threats, neglect causing financial loss, and fraud and scams. IDoA is required to provide specialized financial exploitation training to affected financial institution employees. Due to the impacts on the financial institutions and their customers, it is imperative that the training provided is developed by professionals with expertise in state and federal laws surrounding financial exploitation, APS policies, and nationally recognized best practices.

4. RAA Training: This training shall be designed for Regional Administrative Agency (RAA) staff responsible for the administration, oversight, and support of the Illinois APS program. The curriculum shall address the RAA role in monitoring program operations, providing technical assistance to APS provider agencies, promoting compliance with state and federal requirements, supporting consistent implementation of APS policies and procedures, and promoting quality and consistency in APS program administration throughout Illinois.

For each training curriculum developed or substantially revised under this contract, the Contractor shall provide the following deliverables:

1. Instructional Presentation: A professionally designed instructional presentation that effectively communicates the approved training content and incorporates current adult learning principles, appropriate instructional activities, examples, and practical application.

2. Trainer's Manual: A comprehensive manual containing detailed instructor guidance, learning objectives, facilitation notes, instructional methodologies, discussion prompts, activities, scenarios, and recommendations to support consistent and effective delivery of the approved curriculum.

3 Learner's Manual: A comprehensive manual containing the instructional presentation content, participant handouts, reference materials, job aids, assessment tools, applicable statutes, administrative rules, policies, and procedures, and other supporting resources necessary to reinforce learning and serve as an ongoing reference for APS professionals in the performance of their duties.

4. Train-the-Trainer Program: A comprehensive program, including instructional materials and a formal train-the-trainer presentation delivered upon finalization of each curriculum. The train-the-trainer program shall prepare designated IDoA training staff to effectively deliver the approved curriculum statewide and promote consistency and quality in training delivery.

Q3Answer: IDoA requires the continued use of APSTC due to the compatibility of its existing APS training curriculum, instructional materials, certification framework, and related training services within the established APS training system. APSTC's existing training materials and curriculum are integrated into IDoA's current APS workforce development and certification structure. The compatibility requirement is based on existing APS training infrastructure and associated materials and services, rather than physical equipment. The proposed services are intended to build upon, expand, and maintain the existing training infrastructure rather than replace it with a separate, incompatible, or inconsistent system. APSTC possesses specialized knowledge of the curriculum, instructional methodology, materials, and training framework previously developed for IDoA. Continuing with APSTC allows IDoA to maintain consistency among existing training materials while incorporating new and updated content, including changes to Illinios law and administrative rules, federal requirements, and APS best practices, and identified workforce training needs. APSTC's existing curriculum, instructional materials, training methodology, and subject-matter expertise can be directly integrated and expanded upon within IDoA's established APS training system without requiring IDoA to replace the existing framework or incur the costs associated with developing a different system.

IDoA is required to develop training for financial institutions and other mandated reporters regarding the recognition and reporting of financial exploitation. Because this training must align with Illinois APS statute, administrative rules, reporting requirements and APS practices, it requires a vendor with specialized knowledge of both the APS program and Illinois requirements. APSTC's experience developing Illinois-specific APS training provides the necessary subject-matter expertise to ensure that training for financial institutions and mandated reporters is accurate, consistent with State law and APS requirements, and aligned with IDoA's existing APS training framework. Other vendors that develop training curricula do not possess the specialized expertise necessary to address Illinois-specific laws, regulations, and APS practices. With the recent changes to Illinois law expanding mandated reporting requirements and establishing additional responsibilities for financial institutions, it is imperative that the contracted vendor possess demonstrated expertise in the Illinois APS program and applicable State requirements. This expertise is necessary to ensure that the training is accurate, legally appropriate, and consistent with Illinois APS policies and practices.

APSTC is uniquely positioned to use IDoA's existing APS training materials as the foundation for developing a new, professional, and updated curriculum specifically tailored to the Illinois APS program. Rather than requiring IDoA to replace its existing materials with generic, pre-developed curriculum, APSTC will evaluate, update, and incorporate relevant content from IDoA's existing materials while aligning the curriculum with current Illinois statutes, administrative rules, policies, procedures, certification requirements, and APS best practices.

Other vendors identified through IDoA's market research offer pre-developed national or general APS curricula and are not positioned to use IDoA's existing materials as the foundation for developing a new, comprehensive Illinois-specific curriculum. IDoA requires the existing materials to be evaluated, updated, and incorporated into the new curriculum. If given sufficient time and resources another vendor may be able to develop an Illinois specific APS curriculum. However, IDoA requires a portion of the training to be ready for implementation prior to January 1, 2027. Aging also has a defined budget and is not seeking to incur additional costs associated with having a new vendor develop an Illinois-specific training system from the ground up, when our training system is now already half-way complete. Additionally, based on market research, other vendors offer pre-developed national or general APS curricula but do not offer the same level of direct collaboration with IDoA staff to tailor the curriculum to Illinois-specific laws, policies, procedures, and program needs. APSTC has already established this collaborative process and developed the foundation needed to meet our timeline and requirements.

Q4Answer: APSTC is dedicated exclusively to APS organizational development and training and has specialized expertise in developing APS curricula for state programs. A critical requirement of this procurement is the ability to develop and maintain training specifically tailored to Illinois statutes, administrative rules, IDoA policies, certification requirements, operational procedures, and documentation standards, rather than relying on generic or off-the-shelf national training.

APSTC uniquely combines specialized APS expertise with the ability to work directly with the Illinois APS Training Unit to customize and continuously adapt the training program to Illinois requirements. APSTC collaborates one-on-one with IDoA staff throughout curriculum development, including reviewing exiting materials, incorporating program feedback, and revising content to accurately reflect Illinois law, policy, and practice. APSTC;s existing knowledge of the Illinois APS program and previously developed curriculum also provides continuity and reduces duplication as the statewide training program is expanded and updated.

APSTC's experience working with APS programs nationally allows it to incorporate current APS best practices, emerging research, and federal requirements while adapting that information to Illinois-specific practices. This capability is particularly important as Illinois statutes, administrative rules, federal requirements, and APS procedures are unique to the state and not aligned with other states.

Based on market research conducted by the APS Deputy Division Manager and APS Training Administrator, APSTC's combination of specialized APS expertise, established knowledge of the Illinois APS program, existing curriculum familiarity, and demonstrated ability to work directly with IDoA to develop, revise, and maintain Illinois-specific training distinguishes it from general training vendors and vendors offering standardized national APS curricula. This combination of capabilities is necessary to provide a consistent, comprehensive training program aligned with Illinois APS requirements.

APSTC is the only vendor that will tailor their developed training to specific laws, policies, procedures, and certification requirements for the Illinois APS program. Additionally, APSTC has already established this collaborative process and developed the foundation needed to meet our timeline and requirements. This existing knowledge and working relationship allow APSTC to work directly with IDoA staff to tailor the curriculum to Illinois-specific requirements without requiring a new vendor to first develop that knowledge and understanding.

While other organizations have experience providing APS training and development training curricula, IDoA's requirements extend beyond the provision of general APS training. IDoA requires a vendor with demonstrated expertise in developing comprehensive, state-specific APS curricula that incorporate Illinois law, administrative rules, policies, procedures, and established APS practices. Several alternative organizations primarily offer nationally developed APS curricula, general APS training, or specialized subject-matter training and may not provide the same level of Illinois-specific customization, comprehensive curriculum development, train-the-trainer support, and integration with IDoA's existing APS certification and training framework. APSTC's specialized experience in developing and implementing state-specific APS training provides the closest compatibility with IDoA's existing training system and allows IDoA to expand and update its current curriculum while maintaining consistency, continuity, and compliance with Illinois APS requirements.

Utilizing a vendor without existing knowledge of the Illinois APS program would require substantial additional time for orientation, review of Illinois statues and administrative rules, understanding of IDoA policies and procedures, and familiarization with the existing curriculum before substantive curriculum development could occur. This would create duplication of effort and increase the risk of inconsistencies between newly developed materials and the existing Illinois APS training program.

IDoA APS program staff worked with APSTC to ensure that all requested services, milestones, and deliverables will be completed within twelve months of the contract start date. The training materials and other deliverables developed under the contract will become the property of IDoA and will be available for continued use to support ongoing programmatic training needs, providing additional value beyond the contract period.

Efforts to obtain the best possible price were completed prior to execution of the initial contract, and the pricing for the new contract remains comparable to the costs identified through IDoA's cost analysis and the initial contract. There has not been an increase in pricing from this vendor.

Supervisor Training: $107,500 RAA Training: $9,320 Mandated Reporter Training: $7,980 B*Safe Financial Exploitation Training: $11,000

Inadequate or delayed training also increases the risk of inconsistent investigations, incomplete assessments, insufficient documentation, and ineffective case planning. These deficiencies can result in increased supervisory oversight, additional technical assistance, repeat investigations, corrective actions, legal challenges, and avoidable administrative costs. Standardized, high-quality training reduces these risks by promoting consistent application of laws, policies, and best practices across all APS program providers.

IDoA is also responsible for maintaining compliance with evolving federal APS requirements, state statutes, administrative rules, and mandated reporter training obligations. Failure to timely develop and implement updated training could result in compliance deficiencies, increased audit findings, additional administrative burden, and potential impacts to future federal funding opportunities that support APS initiatives.

Failure to provide timely, high-quality financial exploitation training to financial institution employees who serve as mandated reporters may reduce the early detection and reporting of financial exploitation. Delayed identification of exploitation often results in substantially greater financial losses to older adults, increased investigation costs, greater demand for protective interventions, and more complex case management for APS provider agencies.