SBE: Sole Source - The College Board (FY27)

The Illinois State Board of Education is issuing a notice of intent to award a sole-source contract to The College Board for reduced-cost Advanced Placement exams for qualifying low-income students taking AP tests in Spring 2027. Written comments or hearing requests are due November 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM, and the hearing will be canceled unless an interested party submits written comments or makes a written request. The hearing, if held, is scheduled for November 18, 2026 at 2:00 PM via WebEx.

The Chief Procurement Office for General Services is administering the procurement on behalf of the State Board of Education under Bid/Buy Number 27-586SBE-FINAN-B-54659. The sole-source justification rests on The College Board's exclusive ownership of AP exams and curriculum under federal trademark protection, and the justification states that no viable alternatives exist. Hearing testimony will justify the sole-source method under the Illinois Procurement Code. Formal rules of evidence will not apply, and written comments carry equal weight to oral testimony.

The State Board of Education will pay a minimum of $33 per AP exam and is responsible only for exams actually used by low-income students. Public schools will invoice fee-reduced students no more than $20 per exam, and The College Board will invoice the State Board for reimbursements. Districts order exams in November 2026, and students test in May 2027. The contract term runs from November 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with no renewal options. The not-to-exceed value is $2.5 million, funded by state appropriations legislated specifically for low-income AP fee reimbursements. The State Board has held similar contracts with The College Board since at least 2016, with values ranging from $2.0 million to $2.64 million. Without this contract, low-income students would pay $94 for regular exams or $142 for capstone exams.

Interested parties should direct comments to Dianne Richman, Chief Procurement Officer for General Services, at Dianne.Richman@illinois.gov or 217-622-1857.