Identity Verification System

City Colleges of Chicago is requesting proposals for an identity verification system to detect fraudulent student applications under RFP #MWJ2604, with proposals due August 21, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. CDT. The procurement carries a 25% MBE participation goal and a 7% WBE participation goal.

The system must detect submissions using stolen or synthetic identities to exploit financial aid programs and identify applicants with no genuine intent to enroll. Core deliverables include identity verification through government-issued photo ID uploads and biometric selfie comparisons, residency-document verification via scanning and authentication of bank statements and utility bills, automated risk scoring with configurable decision thresholds, staff review capabilities, and comprehensive reporting and analytics. The system must integrate directly with City Colleges of Chicago's existing Salesforce CRM and PeopleSoft Campus Solutions systems and process approximately 150,000 student applications annually.

Technical requirements include 24/7 system availability during peak admissions periods, WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility compliance, encryption using TLS 1.2 or higher and AES-256 algorithms, SAML-based single sign-on authentication compatible with Microsoft Entra ID or ADFS, annual SOC 2 Type 2 security audit reports, and data retention exclusively within the United States. Proposers must maintain cyber liability insurance with limits of at least $5 million and professional liability insurance of at least $5 million, with City Colleges of Chicago named as additional insured. All work must comply with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act and City Colleges of Chicago's Minimum Wage Executive Order.

The contract covers an initial three-year term with an option to renew for an additional two years at City Colleges of Chicago's discretion, structured as Year 0 (implementation) and Years 1–5. Proposers must have been in business for at least two full calendar years, maintain good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, and provide audited or non-audited financial statements for three previous fiscal years. Pricing must be submitted in a separate Excel template detailing all costs including licensing, professional services, and ongoing maintenance. A virtual pre-proposal conference was held July 23, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. CDT. Questions were due July 27, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. CDT, and intent to submit was due August 14, 2026. The pre-proposal meeting attracted 17 attendees representing 11 companies, including Deloitte, SAS Institute, TransUnion, Persona Identities Inc., and Element451.