Sole Source Public Review - Budget Planning Software Support

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) is conducting a sole source procurement for Budget Planning Software Support from Clarity Partners, LLC, focusing on maintenance and enhancement of their Anaplan budgeting system. The procurement covers comprehensive software support services, including routine system maintenance, data integration, user support, and custom system enhancements to optimize budgeting and planning processes. Key deliverables include transitioning to a new UX Anaplan view, fixing data export integrity, completing page design updates, implementing switchover fixes, and simplifying the "Position Split" process. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, October 6, 2024, at 12:00 pm CDT via Zoom Teleconference, where interested parties can provide testimony regarding the sole source determination. The evaluation criteria emphasize Clarity Partners' unique qualifications, specifically their extensive history as the sole consultants responsible for building and maintaining CCC's Anaplan system since its inception.

Clarity Partners is a minority-owned consulting firm, with 53% minority employees and 45% female employees, which may contribute to potential set-aside or diversity considerations. The incumbent vendor has been working with CCC since 2018 and is being directly contracted due to their intimate knowledge of the existing Anaplan system configuration. The contract is funded through educational funds with a maximum budget of $50,000, based on 250 hours of work at a rate of $200 per hour for a Solution Architect. Invoicing will occur monthly on a time and materials basis, with rate card prices ranging from $165 for a Model Builder to $220 for a Senior Solution Architect. The procurement team has determined that changing vendors would be cost-prohibitive and disruptive, given the significant time and resources already invested in the current system and consultants.