Cancelation IFB Employee Assistance Program Services, Peer Support Group, Trauma Workshops

This Invitation for Bid (IFB) contract opportunity, issued by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) and posted by Cook County, Illinois on December 2, 2025, has been cancelled per JCAR 1.2040(b)(1) due to the original solicitation's failure to provide consideration of all factors of significance to the State. The original contract #25-0041 sought a qualified vendor to deliver comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services to ISTHA employees and their family members on a voluntary and confidential basis. Required services included 24/7 counseling access via phone, in-person sessions, and online live chat; crisis and suicide prevention training; manager and supervisor training; wellness assessments and financial wellness services; 20 trauma-based workshops annually (90 minutes each, customized for roadway teams); and two annual four-hour peer support volunteer training sessions. Service coverage was required throughout Chicago, Greater Chicago suburban areas, Southern Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana, and specified Illinois counties including Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Boone, and Rockford. Vendor staff were required to possess master's-level education in behavioral health or human services with three to five years of experience, along with relevant certifications such as CEAP (Certified Employee Assistance Professional), SAP (Substance Abuse Professional), or CEAPC. The solicitation established a three-year initial term commencing September 1, 2025, with one renewal option for two additional years, not to exceed ten years total. Key procedural dates included a pre-bid meeting scheduled for July 16, 2025, at 10:00 AM CT via Microsoft Teams; written questions due July 23, 2025, at 10:00 AM CT to Senior Contract Negotiator Nena Snow at nsnow@getipass.com; and bid submission deadline of August 12, 2025, at 10:00 AM CT through the BidBuy platform.

The solicitation included a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) set-aside with a 5 percent minority-owned business participation goal and a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) component, requiring vendors to submit a completed Utilization Plan demonstrating their commitment to utilizing certified diverse vendors. All offerors were required to register with the Illinois Secretary of State, comply with Illinois State Board of Elections requirements, and obtain an Illinois Department of Human Rights Public Contracts Number. Vendors utilizing the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure form had to maintain active registration in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG). Standard state contract terms applied, including requirements for general commercial liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate, auto liability coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence, prevailing wage compliance where applicable, record retention for three years (five years if federal funds were involved), and assignment of intellectual property rights to the State. The original IFB did not identify an incumbent vendor or existing contract value in the available documentation. Interested vendors have been advised to continue monitoring BidBuy for future rebid opportunities, as the state intends to reissue this solicitation with provisions addressing all significant factors in the procurement evaluation process.