Colocation space at 900 Walnut for ICN FY25 - SEFS

The State of Illinois is soliciting proposals for colocation space at 900 Walnut for the Illinois Century Network (ICN) FY25 contract through the State Education Facilities Services (SEFS). This procurement seeks to secure dedicated colocation facilities to support ICN operations and infrastructure requirements for fiscal year 2025. The submission deadline for all proposals is December 30, 2025, providing potential bidders with a compressed four-day response window from the December 26, 2025 posting date. While the specific square footage requirements, technical specifications, amenities, and service level agreements are not detailed in the available documentation, the procurement requires vendors to provide compliant facilities that meet ICN's operational and technical needs. Bidders must demonstrate their ability to provide secure, reliable colocation services with appropriate infrastructure to support network operations and related equipment. No specific evaluation criteria beyond standard proposal compliance are identified in the materials provided.

The State of Illinois has established a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) utilization requirement for this contract, mandating that bidders demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion goals. All bidders must complete and submit the BEP U-Plan (Form B-50484), which requires documentation of good faith efforts to subcontract with certified minority, women, and disabled-owned businesses, as well as service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) and veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs). The state maintains an aspirational goal of awarding not less than 30 percent of total contract dollars to certified diverse vendors, with an additional 3 percent goal for SDVOSBs and VOSBs. Bidders must contact all available certified diverse vendors within relevant National Institute for Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) codes with a minimum of 10 business days' notice and maintain detailed contact logs demonstrating good faith negotiation efforts. Compliance with the U-Plan is mandatory, and non-compliance may result in payment withholding or contract termination. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the available solicitation materials.