Museum Collections Software RFP

The Illinois Department of Information Technology (DoIT), in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), is seeking proposals for a comprehensive Collections Management Software solution for the Illinois State Museum (ISM) and Illinois State Historic Sites (ISHS). The procurement requires a customizable, commercial, off-the-shelf, cloud-based museum-specific software system capable of tracking over 1.5 million cultural heritage objects and archives. The successful vendor must provide a solution that can migrate existing data from the current Collector Systems software, which contains approximately 235,000 records totaling 55GB, and support licensing for 55 simultaneous users across multiple locations. Key technical requirements include hosting all servers within the United States, maintaining robust cloud security in compliance with NIST 800-53 standards, and providing SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications. The RFP evaluation will include a comprehensive Commitment to Diversity (C2D) assessment that accounts for 20% of the technical score, with points awarded across categories such as BEP goal compliance, subcontracting with diverse businesses, DEI spend, DEI time commitments, DEI policies, and staffing diversity. Critical procurement dates include a pre-submission conference on 2/25/2025, questions due by 2/28/2025, and proposals due on 3/18/2025, with an anticipated contract start date of 7/15/2025 for an initial 10-year term.

The state has established specific set-aside and diversity requirements for this procurement, including a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal of 1% for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, with an aspirational overall goal of awarding 30% of contract dollars to BEP-certified businesses. Vendors must either meet contract-specific goals through self-performance if BEP/VBP certified, utilize certified subcontractors, or demonstrate good faith efforts to meet the goals through detailed documentation. The current system was obtained through a non-profit partner in 2021, and vendors must be prepared to seamlessly integrate with existing state procurement and technology infrastructure. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly detailed, the comprehensive nature of the software and the requirement to manage over 1.5 million objects suggests a significant investment. Pricing must remain firm for the first three years, with one annual price adjustment allowed based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) thereafter. Vendors must be registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway and comply with all state vendor disclosure requirements, including certifications regarding procurement compliance and potential conflicts of interest.