PO24-522, Sole Source Statewide Fingerprinting Services TP

The State of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is procuring a sole source contract for statewide fingerprinting and background services. The contract will be awarded to BioMetric Impressions, the sole economically feasible source for these services. DCFS has determined that BioMetric Impressions is the only vendor that can satisfy the agency's requirements due to the compatibility of their equipment, accessories, and replacement parts, as well as the time required to transition the services to a new vendor. The contract will cover the provision of fingerprinting and background checks, which are required by law for all employees and providers interacting with children in DCFS's care. The contract term is expected to begin on March 26, 2024 and end on March 25, 2025. A public hearing will be held on March 6, 2024 at 2 p.m. unless an interested party submits written comments or requests a public hearing by March 1, 2024 at 4 p.m.

The sole source procurement is not subject to any set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. BioMetric Impressions is a certified vendor through the Illinois State Police and the FBI, and has been providing these services to DCFS since 2017 through a Joint Purchase Master Contract with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services. While other vendors, such as Protected Biometrics and C&N Licensing and Title Service, expressed interest in bidding on a future competitive procurement, the hearing officer determined that a transition to a new vendor could not be accomplished within the required timeframe. The contract value is not specified in the provided information.