MK26-19 STEVE 2. 0 System

The State of Utah Department of Health and Human Services is seeking a sole-source contract for participation in the STEVE 2.0 (State and Territorial Exchange of Vital Events System) without engaging in a standard competitive procurement process. The procurement is for creation of a Jurisdiction Partner user account, remote web-based access to the system, and the ability to send and receive vital event data—including birth, death, fetal death, and induced termination of pregnancy records—from other participating state vital records offices. The contractor will be responsible for administering the platform to allow the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics staff to exchange vital records data with other jurisdictions using standardized file formats and transmission protocols. Key requirements include achieving GovRAMP Core verified status no later than 12 months after contract execution and GovRAMP Moderate Authorized status no later than 24 months after execution, with potential liquidated damages or contract termination for failure to maintain these security standards. The contractor must ensure system accessibility, address system issues in a reasonable manner, and submit annual invoices to the OVRS director. The procurement notice was posted February 11, 2026, with a due date of February 18, 2026, allowing a public comment period during which interested vendors may challenge the non-competitive award determination by submitting documentation demonstrating alternative sources for comparable services.

The State has justified this sole-source award under the impracticality exception, asserting that all other states in the nation utilize the STEVE 2.0 system and that employing an alternative application would create inefficiencies, alignment issues with other states, and potential feasibility problems. The contract is anticipated to have a five-year term from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, with one renewal option, and the estimated contract value is $50,000.00 with no freight costs. All vendors must certify compliance with Utah Code 63G-27 et seq., confirming they are not engaged in economic boycotts or boycotts of the State of Israel and agreeing to maintain such compliance throughout the contract term. Vendors who wish to protect trade secrets or commercial financial information from public disclosure under the Government Records Access and Management Act may submit a Business Confidentiality Claim, provided they submit both redacted and non-redacted versions of their proposals with detailed justifications for each redaction request. The Division of Purchasing will not redact proposals on behalf of claimants who fail to submit properly redacted versions. If valid challenges demonstrating alternative qualified vendors are received during the public notice period, the Division of Purchasing may reconsider the non-competitive award; however, the award may still proceed if the basis is transitional costs or impracticability rather than sole source justification.