DFS- Sole Source Foray Digital Assets Mgmt System-SLB

The State of Illinois Department of Forensic Sciences is procuring a digital asset management system from Foray, LLC through a sole source contract. The system must be secure, backed up regularly, and allow archiving capabilities to maintain the vast amount of digital evidence generated by the Latent Prints and Footwear/Tiretrack disciplines. It must also integrate with the Illinois State Police's current Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), NEC Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), and Adobe Photoshop software. The initial one-year contract term is estimated at $222,301, and the State plans to transition the digital asset management functionality into the LIMS system in the future, with this sole source contract serving as a "bridge" until that development is complete. The sole source justification cites the extensive integration work done between Foray and the State's existing systems, and notes that Foray has provided consistent, quality service and support during the 15+ years the State has used their system.

This sole source procurement is open only to Foray, LLC as the incumbent vendor. The State evaluated alternative vendors but determined that Foray's system is uniquely capable of integrating with the existing LIMS and meeting the technical requirements. Transitioning to a new vendor would require significant time and resources to redesign the LIMS interface and integration, disrupting operations. A public hearing is scheduled for December 8, 2021 to receive comments on the appropriateness of the sole source procurement, which will be canceled if no interested party submits written comments or requests a hearing by December 3, 2021.