Sole Source - DNR EcoCAT Application

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is proceeding with a sole-source award to NatureServe for the EcoCAT (Ecological Compliance Assessment Tool) application, with a public hearing scheduled for August 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. via WebEx; interested parties may submit written objections or hearing requests by August 1, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.

The procurement is a SaaS environmental review platform designed to replace IDNR's legacy project entry and screening system in place since 2006. The system must interface with the Biotics Database to deliver real-time environmental compliance data for review under the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act, Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act, and Interagency Wetland Policy Act. The platform must support approximately 15,000 annual submissions and 41 daily project reviews, with instant consultation clearances, internal project tracking, and public-facing submission capabilities including geospatial data integration (PLSS, UTM, interactive mapping, shapefile uploads).

IDNR justified the sole-source award based on patent and proprietary considerations: NatureServe is the only vendor capable of real-time integration with the Biotics Database without significant customization. The agency evaluated alternatives including ESRI (abandoned after $300,000 and 25% completion), BISON, iMAPlnvasives, and EnviroSuite; all lacked critical functionality or real-time data integration. IDNR benchmarked pricing against other states' implementations and confirmed competitive market terms.

The estimated contract value is $460,450 for an initial three-year term beginning August 1, 2026 and ending July 31, 2029, with zero renewal options. Costs break down as $368,200 for deployment and configuration with custom functionality, $45,000 for year one hosting, and $47,250 for year two hosting, subject to a maximum 5% annual increase thereafter. The three-year term accommodates the estimated 12-month implementation period and ensures technological continuity. Funding comes from state appropriated funds. The State Purchasing Officer approved the sole-source determination on July 22, 2026.