Sole Source - FY26-27 Weatherization Platform Support and Enhancements

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is seeking to award a sole source contract to NGI Capital Inc. dba Apex IT for FY26-27 Weatherization Platform Support and Enhancements serving Sangamon County and the state of Illinois. The contract encompasses twelve months of dedicated consulting services to provide production support and system enhancements for the IWx weatherization platform, which supports the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP). The IWx system is a purpose-built solution leveraging multiple Oracle platforms (OIA, OEC, Eloqua, VBCS, IDCS, and OIC) and integrates comprehensive program workflows including client pre-applications, energy audits, scopes of work, grant budget tracking, contractor invoicing, and final inspections. The system features extensive customization including dynamic grant allocation engines, hundreds of compliance rules, and progressive web application capabilities with offline field operation functionality. The estimated contract term begins January 30, 2026, and ends January 29, 2027, with no renewal options. Key deadlines include a public hearing scheduled for February 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM via WebEx, with written comments or hearing requests due by January 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM. The sole source justification emphasizes that Apex IT, as the original system developer, possesses irreplaceable institutional knowledge of the system's architecture, custom rules, and integration points, and that any vendor transition would require a 6-8 month learning curve, while discontinuation of support would result in system non-functionality within days and jeopardize $100 million in annual program spending.

This procurement is designated as a sole economically feasible source contract, which restricts award eligibility to NGI Capital Inc. dba Apex IT as the only vendor capable of providing the requisite services without extensive system disruption. The contract is funded entirely through federal funds and carries an estimated value of $1,990,125.00, representing a 46 percent decrease from the prior year's contract value of $3,688,400.00. The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) and DCEO are concurrently developing internal capacity through hiring and training initiatives to eventually assume long-term system ownership and reduce reliance on external vendors. No specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise restrictions are identified in the procurement documentation. All vendors must comply with the State of Illinois Standard Terms and Conditions, including maintenance of $1,000,000 general commercial liability insurance per occurrence, prevailing wage compliance where applicable, a $15 administrative fee for contracts exceeding $1,000, and exclusive dispute resolution through the Illinois Court of Claims. The State reserves the right to terminate the contract for cause with written notice or for convenience with thirty days' notice.