26-427DES-FINAN-B-51216 | DES - RFP - Legal Services FY27-31 Claimants

The contract solicitation "26-427DES-FINAN-B-51216 | DES - RFP - Legal Services FY27-31 Claimants" issued by the Illinois Finance Bureau seeks qualified vendors to provide legal services for claimant representation from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, with an option to renew for an additional five years, totaling a maximum potential duration of ten years. The place of performance is designated as Chicago, Illinois. The solicitation emphasizes compliance with Illinois procurement codes and requires a BEP/VBP-certified vendor performing a commercially useful function with active management and supervision of contract components. Although specific financial terms, line-item pricing, or overall contract value are not provided, a referenced annual cap for claimant representation is $1 million. The procurement process is conducted via a trade-off award basis, evaluating technical merit, commitment to diversity (C2D), and price, with a total scoring scale of 220 points. The technical evaluation precedes pricing consideration, and C2D accounts for 20 points, highlighting diversity in staffing, DEI policies, DEI spending and time, subcontracting with women- and minority-owned disadvantaged businesses, and BEP goal compliance or waiver status. Operational requirements include maintaining a toll-free number with prompt responsiveness, providing services in appropriate client languages, and offering brief legal advice even when no valid claim exists. Reporting mandates detailed monthly invoices and service reports, client satisfaction data, and timely notifications of attorney suspensions or disbarments. Compliance references include adherence to federal cost principles per 2 CFR Part 200, strict protection of Social Security Numbers with secure storage and disposal, and maintaining an Illinois Department of Human Rights Public Contracts Number. Inspection and acceptance responsibilities rest with the Illinois agency, emphasizing verification of a commercially useful function, documentation of direct and necessary expenditures, and on-site reviews including SSN security compliance. Required proposal submissions cover multiple detailed sections, must be electronic via the Illinois BidBuy portal, and are due by March 25, 2026. While no formal packaging, special contract clauses (such as security clearances or key personnel), or accounting classification data were provided, an extensive list of required attachments supports evaluation, including vendor lists, good faith effort waivers, DEI policies, staffing diversity information, and utilization disclosures, ensuring thorough compliance and oversight throughout contract performance.