SPSS RUSH Evergreen Climate Innovations Illinois Clean Energy Innovation Fund

The State of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is issuing a small purchase procurement with sole source conditions to procure continued administration and management services for the Clean Energy Innovation Fund (SEP26800). Evergreen Climate Innovations will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and providing financial assistance to early-stage clean energy businesses in Illinois operating in targeted sectors including renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, water resource management, precision agriculture, and smart grid technologies. Key deliverables and objectives include conducting application reviews, performing business due diligence, managing the restricted revolving investment model, tracking capitalization and monetization events, monitoring qualified financing events, and maintaining federal compliance. The vendor must collect and report quarterly data on applicants, fund recipients, follow-on investments, employment metrics, minority and women-owned business participation, and investments in Environmental Justice Areas of Concern, with reporting deadlines of April 17 for Q1, July 17 for Q2, October 17 for Q3, and January 17 for Q4. The contract has an initial term ending June 30, 2026, with a maximum total contract term not exceeding ten years including renewals and extensions. Services must be performed entirely within the State of Illinois, and the posting date was April 14, 2026, with a proposal due date of April 20, 2026. The contract is structured as a firm fixed-price agreement with a maximum contract value not to exceed $99,999 and is funded through the State Energy Program.

This procurement contains no small business, minority-owned business, women-owned business set-asides, or veteran-owned small business preferences. The existing contractor is Evergreen Climate Innovations, which is being continued in this sole source procurement. The vendor must maintain general commercial liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence with a $2,000,000 annual aggregate, auto liability coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and workers' compensation insurance as required by law. All federal funds, interest earned, and program income must be reinvested in the Fund and retained as federal funds in perpetuity for State Energy Program-eligible purposes only. Evergreen is authorized to retain up to 20 percent of investment proceeds for future fund management and administrative costs and up to 10 percent for programming supporting portfolio companies. The contract is subject to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act terms and conditions, and the vendor must maintain separate accounting and reporting for ARRA funds and State Energy Program funds. Vendors must comply with all Standard Illinois Certifications requirements encompassing debarment status, employment practices, environmental compliance, procurement ethics, cybersecurity, and forced labor prohibitions, among other statutory and regulatory compliance areas.