SS Nextalk Sole Source Contract

This procurement is for a sole source contract for services to ensure effective communication to individuals with disabilities, including those with hearing and speech impairments, for the State of Illinois. The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) intends to award the contract to HiTec Group International, Inc., the sole authorized distributor of the proprietary Nextalk/Textnet technology required for these services. The contract will provide a LAN-based network and TTY telephony services, with an estimated annual cost of $110,000 for software maintenance, port licenses, and 800 numbers. The initial one-year contract term is from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, with no renewal options. The State currently has 280 assigned 800 numbers and 635 users across multiple state agencies utilizing these services. A public hearing on this sole source procurement is scheduled for December 4, 2019, and will be cancelled unless an interested party submits written comments or requests a hearing by 4:00 PM on November 29, 2019.

This sole source procurement is limited to HiTec Group International, Inc. as the sole authorized distributor of the required Nextalk/Textnet technology in Illinois and Wisconsin. There are no listed incumbent vendors or current contractors, as HiTec has provided these services to the State on a sole source basis since 2002, as there are no alternative vendors identified that can provide the required functionality. The contract does not indicate any set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond, and does not provide any information on possible award values or budget ranges.