26-560IFA-IFA56-B-51619 | Central & Southern Illinois CFI Community Charging Program

The Central & Southern Illinois CFI Community Charging Program, solicited by the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) under solicitation number 26-560IFA-IFA56-B-51619, seeks to engage a contractor for the comprehensive delivery and operation of public electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) over a five-year period. The scope includes site assessment, planning, design, procurement, installation, commissioning, maintenance, technical support, and coordination with utilities and stakeholders to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local standards including the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) rules, Illinois prevailing wage laws, and accessibility regulations. The anticipated infrastructure includes DC fast charging (DCFC) sites with at least four CCS ports and Level 2 sites with four J1772 ports, requiring 97% uptime annually and compliance with industry protocols such as OCPP 2.0.1 and OCPI 2.2.1 for secure network communications. All equipment must meet stringent safety, cybersecurity, and domestic content requirements, including Build America, Buy America minimums. Contract clauses incorporate standard elements such as terms and termination, payment and invoicing procedures, confidentiality, warranties, insurance, compliance with laws, and performance monitoring, though many provisions require specific details to be finalized at contract execution. There are no designated option years or formal key personnel clauses, but the contract allows background checks for security purposes and mandates reassignment if safety or performance issues arise. Evaluation of bids follows a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis, emphasizing full compliance with solicitation criteria and responsiveness. Contract administration provides for electronic invoicing submissions and oversight by IFA, with acceptance conducted at installed project sites after thorough inspection tied to NEVI, ADA, safety, and performance standards. The procurement also mandates vendor certifications, including diverse business utilization plans, and enforces Illinois Procurement Code compliance with provisions for disclosures and potential penalties for false certification. No specific contract values, packaging requirements, or shipping terms are defined in the solicitation, reflecting detailed work requirements alongside administrative flexibility and strict regulatory adherence to support the deployment of reliable EV charging infrastructure in the targeted Illinois regions.