FY 24 - DHS - sole source OBS - RM apex sorters

The State of Illinois, Department of Human Services (DHS), is seeking to award a sole source contract for the repair and maintenance of two APEX sorters located in Springfield, Illinois. The contract is for a one-year period with the option to renew for up to four additional one-year terms. The total value of the initial one-year term is $180,791.28. DHS is the sole purchaser, and the contract will be awarded to DMT SOLUTIONS GLOBAL CORP DBA BLUECREST, the only authorized provider for this proprietary equipment. BlueCrest will be responsible for providing a dedicated technician, performing all maintenance and repairs, and covering the cost of any required parts. This sole source procurement is necessary to preserve the operational viability of the Mail Processing Unit, as any breakdown of the APEX Sorters would result in significant increases to postage costs and mailing fees. A public hearing will be held on May 10, 2023, at 2:00 pm, and the hearing will be canceled unless an interested party submits written comments or requests a public hearing by May 5, 2023, at 4:00 pm.

This opportunity is not set aside for any specific type of organization. BlueCrest is the incumbent vendor, and they are the sole owner of the technology and equipment. DHS has purchased similar services from BlueCrest in the past, and continued maintenance is critical to the operations of the Mail Processing Unit. DHS estimates that the pre-sort savings realized by using the APEX Sorters exceeds $2 million annually, so losing this capability would result in significant postage cost increases.