Certification Supportive Services for Districts 1 - 3 - RFP

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is seeking a vendor to provide Certification Supportive Services for Districts 1-3 through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process. The selected vendor will be responsible for providing technical assistance and outreach to IDOT's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms, with key objectives including assisting prospective DBEs with certification, helping existing certified DBEs expand work categories, and delivering training presentations. Specific deliverables include monthly invoices, activity reports, timesheets, and supporting documentation. The contract requires a Project Manager with a minimum of 3 years of progressive experience with Illinois' DBE program and an office located within one of the three covered districts. The RFP mandates that vendors respond through the BidBuy online procurement system, with proposals due by November 20, 2024. The initial contract term is two years, with an option to renew for an additional two years, and the vendor must provide services in an expeditious manner, including responding to requests within 24 hours.

The procurement has a significant focus on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation, with a 27% DBE participation goal for this non-construction contract. The vendor must take all necessary steps to ensure disadvantaged businesses have maximum opportunity to compete for and perform work, without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, or sex. Vendors must submit detailed DBE Utilization Plans and Participation Statements, demonstrating either meeting the participation goal or showing good faith efforts to do so. The contract will be funded by federal sources, and vendors must comply with extensive disclosure requirements, including completing forms such as the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure and Vendor Disclosure forms. While no specific incumbent vendor is mentioned, the pricing structure is based on fully-loaded hourly rates for Project Manager and Trainer labor categories, with estimated annual hours across the three districts. The total contract value is not explicitly stated, but vendors must submit pricing through a detailed pricing table that accounts for services across Districts One, Two, and Three.