Request for Qualifications - Ky Ignition Interlock Program

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Purchases issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on December 15, 2020, to certify ignition interlock device providers to service the Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program (KIIP) on a statewide basis. This procurement seeks qualified manufacturers and service providers to supply ignition interlock devices and comprehensive related services to drivers convicted of driving under the influence in Kentucky, covering both legacy participants convicted under prior law and new KIIP participants convicted after July 1, 2020, under Senate Bill 85. Certified providers must establish and maintain at least one service center in each of Kentucky's twelve highway districts and deliver installation, calibration, monitoring, and removal services in compliance with all state and federal regulations and specifications detailed in the RFQ and Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 189A. Key qualifications required include demonstrated successful program experience, financial viability, appropriate personnel qualifications with no felony convictions or certain misdemeanors, liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate, and a full-time dedicated Provider Representative for the Kentucky program. Providers must submit a $500 application fee for initial certification and $200 for renewal, and all must be registered Kentucky vendors. The certification period runs from January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022, with applications closing on December 31, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., and subsequent certification periods opening for renewal and new applications on December 1 in the year prior to expiration on a two-year cycle thereafter. Site inspections of service centers will occur within thirty days of initial certification and annually thereafter, with additional inspections triggered by failed compliance reviews.

The RFQ contains no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions limiting respondent types based on business classification; however, applicants must be registered Kentucky vendors and comply with all state and federal regulations. The solicitation specifies maximum allowable fees that providers may charge applicants, including $100 for standard installation, $130 for alternative fuel or push-button starter vehicles, $100 monthly for device rental and calibration services with mandatory theft and loss insurance, $30 for device removal, and additional specified fees for service calls, violation resets, missed appointments, and repairs. The program operates at no cost to the Commonwealth, with all fees collected directly from applicants, meaning there is no guaranteed work volume and the relationship is defined as independent contractor with no employment relationship between the provider and the state. The RFQ does not reference existing incumbent vendors or current contractors, indicating this may be an initial program establishment or a transition to a new provider network. The cabinet will monitor provider performance and may indefinitely suspend or revoke certification for violations including provision of materially false information, defective devices, failure to maintain required insurance, inadequate customer service, and non-compliance with reporting requirements.