Sole Source: IBM Mission Critical & z16 Mainframe Mait.

The Illinois Secretary of State is pursuing a sole source procurement for IBM Mission Critical & z16 Mainframe Maintenance and support, targeting a one-year contract period from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. The procurement specifically covers comprehensive maintenance services for critical IBM hardware and software systems, including HWMA Power, IBM Media Retention Power, MCP Remote Support HMC, SWMA AIX Enterprise Edition, IBM Support Insights Edition, HWMA Storage, and z16 Mainframe Maintenance. The total contract value is $630,816.40, funded through State Appropriated Funds. A public hearing is scheduled for June 16, 2025, at 2:00 pm in Springfield, Illinois, located at 501 South Second Street, with written comments or hearing requests due by June 12, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. to Katherine Tople. The procurement process requires IBM to provide 24/7 coverage and authorization for critical systems, with the agency arguing that no alternative vendors can deliver equivalent service levels and support.

The procurement appears to be a direct sole source contract with no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational respondents. The contract is exclusively with IBM, based on the agency's assessment that no alternative vendors can provide equivalent maintenance and support for their mission-critical hardware and software systems. The procurement documentation indicates a historical precedent of using master contracts or sole source arrangements with IBM for these systems, dating back to 2015. The agency emphasizes that without this sole source contract, they would potentially face service interruptions, reinstatement fees, and operational fines. IBM has reportedly offered competitive rates, with some rates even lowered from the previous year's contract. The procurement covers St. Clair County and is part of the broader Illinois state government's technology infrastructure maintenance strategy, focusing on maintaining the reliability and continuity of critical mainframe and hardware systems.