SSJF Part 2.pdf

The document is a Sole Source Justification Form for the Illinois Secretary of State, specifically addressing an IBM mission critical hardware maintenance coverage procurement. The contract is scheduled for an initial procurement bulletin posting on June 2, 2025, with a proposed contract term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The procurement involves comprehensive maintenance services for critical IBM hardware and software systems, including HWMA Power, IBM Media Retention Power, MCP Remote Support HMC, SWMA AIX Enterprise Edition, IBM Support Insights Edition, HWMA Storage, and z16 Mainframe Maintenance.

The total contract value is $630,816.40, which will be funded through State Appropriated Funds. A public hearing is scheduled for June 16, 2025, at 2:00 pm in Springfield, Illinois, with written comments or hearing requests due by June 12, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. The procurement is a direct sole source contract with IBM, justified by the agency's assertion that no alternative vendors can provide equivalent maintenance and support for their mission-critical hardware and software systems. The contract aims to prevent potential service interruptions, reinstatement fees, and operational fines, with IBM reportedly offering competitive rates that are even lower than the previous year's contract.