PO26-003 DCFS Sole Source Univ of Chicago Chapin Hall Research for Older Adolescents TP

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is pursuing a sole source procurement with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago for a comprehensive suite of 21 research, evaluation, and implementation support projects for Fiscal Year 2026. The contract will focus on child welfare system improvements, addressing federal funding requirements, and meeting court-mandated system enhancements. Specific deliverables include developing reporting tools, conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses, supporting implementation of new practice models, producing quarterly reports, and providing technical assistance across multiple intervention areas. Key projects encompass Meta Model Evaluation, Families Together Evaluation, Residential Monitoring, Strategic Implementation Support, Administrative Case Review, Early Childhood Court Team Evaluation, and Family First Prevention Services Act implementation. The procurement is structured as a sole source contract with a defined term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, with a critical deadline for potential hearing challenges set for April 18, 2025, at 4 p.m. Evaluation criteria emphasize Chapin Hall's unique capabilities, including its extensive child welfare data archive and historical expertise in supporting DCFS under existing court decrees.

The contract is a direct sole source award with no apparent set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Chapin Hall is identified as the exclusive vendor due to its unique institutional knowledge and comprehensive data archive covering over 27 states. The total contract value is estimated at $5,233,000, funded through a combination of state and federal resources. DCFS has determined that changing vendors would potentially cost between $15-17 million and could disrupt critical services while jeopardizing federal funding streams. The procurement is closely tied to existing infrastructure, including Chapin Hall's historical research databases and ongoing support for court-mandated consent decrees such as B.H. v. Walker. Integration requirements include maintaining continuity of research methodologies, data collection processes, and ongoing evaluation of child welfare interventions across multiple strategic domains. The contract represents a continuation of previous years' sole source agreements, emphasizing the specialized nature of the research and implementation support services.