EMERGENCY NOTICE - IDOC - NASPO Inmate Communications

The Illinois Department of Corrections is procuring a comprehensive electronic service delivery system for individuals in custody through NASPO ValuePoint cooperative participation, with proposals due September 15, 2026. This is an emergency notice posted August 31, 2026 following an interim emergency purchase awarded August 27, 2026.

The system encompasses self-development, education, friends and family contact, grievance tracking, entertainment, and administrative communication delivered via tablet-based technology. IDOC has already awarded an emergency contract to Inmate Calling Solutions, LLC with an estimated expenditure of $344,167 to bridge operations until the longer-term cooperative procurement is finalized. The emergency contract will terminate once the NASPO participation contract takes effect.

Inmate Calling Solutions was selected for the interim award based on cost advantages including 22% savings on calling rates and 40–60% savings on video visitation rates across the entire IDOC population, flexible streaming rates for content consumption, and provision of technical oversight, IT infrastructure installation, and tablet distribution to all individuals in custody at no cost to the state. IDOC conducted competition to the extent practicable under emergency circumstances by leveraging NASPO ValuePoint cooperative contract pricing as a benchmark and conducting internal research; a search of the NIGP database identified only two vendors related primarily to counseling and consulting, limiting competitive options available during the emergency period.

The procurement is funded through state-appropriated funds and other funding sources. The September 15 deadline applies to the ongoing NASPO ValuePoint cooperative participation procurement, which will supersede the interim emergency agreement.