Sole Source - Addressing Lead in Water at Child Care Facilities in Illinois

This is a sole source procurement by the State of Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) to contract with Elevate Energy for services to address lead in water at child care facilities across the state. DHS has identified an urgent need to remove lead hazards from approximately 9,350 licensed child care facilities, many of which were built before 2000 and are required to test for lead. Elevate Energy will be responsible for conducting outreach to child care providers with high lead levels, creating mitigation management plans, identifying and facilitating connections with qualified plumbers, performing quality assurance on remediation activities, and conducting follow-up lead testing. The initial contract term is from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, with a total estimated value of $2,684,000. DHS has determined that Elevate Energy is the only entity in Illinois with the specialized expertise and existing relationships with child care providers and plumbing contractors to provide these comprehensive lead mitigation services within the required timeframe and available federal funding constraints.

Elevate Energy has previously partnered with the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on lead testing and remediation programs for child care facilities, giving them unique access and credibility with the target providers. There are no set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond, as this is a sole source procurement. The proposed contract budget includes $2,040,000 for lead service line replacements, $400,000 for internal plumbing repairs and filters, and $244,000 in administrative costs.