Child Support Automation and Innovation for Modernization IV&V IFB

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB 2026-55-119/26-478HFS-MEDPR-B-51464) for Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Services to support the Child Support Automation and Innovation for Modernization (CS AIM) project. The primary objective is to provide independent oversight and comprehensive assessment of the development and implementation of EPIC (Enforcement and Paternity for Illinois Children), a modernized child support information system that will replace the aging Key Information Delivery System (KIDS) through implementation of a transferred Florida Child Support Automated Management System (CAMS). The selected vendor must develop an IV&V Management Plan within 30 days of contract execution and conduct initial on-site reviews in Springfield, Illinois within 45 days, followed by quarterly periodic reviews with draft reports due within 60 days of each review initiation. The vendor is required to perform on-site review activities for two weeks each quarter (eight weeks annually), with travel expenses reimbursed within an approved budget. Mandatory vendor qualifications include a minimum of five years of continuous IV&V service operations and demonstrated experience as the prime IV&V contractor on at least three large-scale business process and systems implementation projects completed within the past ten years, with at least one project in child support programs and direct involvement with the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). Key personnel requirements specify an IV&V Project Manager with active PMI PMP certification and three years of IV&V experience, a Business Analyst with five years of child support program experience, a Technical Analyst with five years of SAP platform and legacy system modernization experience, and Subject Matter Experts with seven years of child support or technical system knowledge. All bids must be submitted electronically through BidBuy by June 24, 2026, with questions due to the Information Contact no later than June 3, 2026, and a non-mandatory pre-submission conference available via WebEx. The contract has an initial two-year term with optional renewal periods not to exceed ten years total, with firm pricing established through the BidBuy purchase order and single award to the responsive and responsible bidder offering the lowest overall total price.

This procurement includes a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) participation goal requiring nine percent utilization of minority-owned, women-owned, and disability-owned businesses, with bidders required to submit a completed BEP Utilization Plan demonstrating either direct BEP certification, identified BEP-certified subcontractors, or a waiver request with documented good-faith efforts to meet the goal. The vendor must maintain organizational and managerial independence from the development project and is prohibited from performing project management, quality assurance, design, development, or implementation work on the CS AIM project or related Department projects. Required contract insurance includes $1,000,000 general commercial liability per occurrence, and vendors must comply with prevailing wage requirements and provide background checks for personnel with professional licenses or access to protected health information. Bidders must submit a Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, the completed Contract document, Attachment B (Vendor Qualifications Certifications), business registration documentation, and the BEP Utilization Plan; failure to submit required documentation or meet any qualification requirements will render the bid non-responsive. The contract is contingent upon federal funding availability, with specific federal funding percentages to be disclosed upon notice of award, and is subject to all applicable requirements of the Illinois Procurement Code, Standard Terms and Conditions, and Standard Illinois Certifications. No specific contract value is disclosed in the solicitation; pricing is firm as quoted by the awarded vendor through the BidBuy purchase order.