Intent to Sole Source - Rising Stars LLC

The State of Montana, through the Department of Administration’s State Procurement Services Division, is proceeding with a sole source award to Rising Stars LLC for Retirement System Software Project Management and Test Lead Services, targeting the M-Trust pension administration system. This action is not a competitive solicitation, as the contractor possesses irreplaceable institutional knowledge of the proprietary M-Trust system, which it has developed and maintained since 2014, and has served as the sole Test Lead and Project Manager since December 2019. No other vendor can provide equivalent expertise without creating unacceptable operational risk, including disruption to critical fiduciary duties under the Montana Constitution, significant delays in system enhancements, and an undue burden on state staff. The contract, with a total value not to exceed $360,000 over a three-year period, is funded at $120,000 annually under Commodity Code 1018, and includes no automatic renewals—any extension requires explicit approval from both the Montana Teachers’ Retirement System and the State. Performance will occur remotely or at TRS facilities in Helena, Montana, with the state retaining full authority for inspection and acceptance based on functional compliance, successful implementation of enhancements like the mobile member portal and online beneficiary designation tools, adherence to Section 508 accessibility standards, and demonstrated proficiency with Jira, TestRail, and the MVC Framework. The procurement is grounded entirely in non-competitive justification rooted in unique technical familiarity rather than price, quality, or tradable performance factors. There are no formal evaluation scores, weighting systems, or competitive criteria; instead, award hinges on the absence of viable alternatives and the high risk associated with transitioning to an unfamiliar vendor. The contractor is not required to submit specific certifications, UEI/CAGE codes, or socioeconomic status information, as the solicitation does not solicit bids or proposals in the traditional sense—vendors are merely invited to demonstrate capacity to meet the requirements if they believe they can. All inquiries and submissions must be submitted through the eMACS Q&A Board by the June 30, 2026 deadline, using a single document, preferably in PDF format. Payment processing will follow standard Montana state accounting procedures, with no specific invoicing system named, and no packaging, marking, or logistical requirements apply due to the purely services-based nature of the work. The contract’s success depends entirely on the continuity of expertise, and any deviation from the current contractor is deemed operationally and legally untenable.