Announcement of an Exempt Purchase

The Ookla speed test data sets to be purchased includes a 12-month historical slice of existing data that includes speed test results from Illinois homes and businesses as well as a new data set built on speed test results to be collected during a 12-month span covering the majority of the license term. Having both historical and new data sets will allow us to understand and illustrate broadband access and performance over time. The speed test data will help us with community engagement, broadband access mapping, and internal progress checks on broadband network build-outs. This is standard information for state broadband researchers, offices, and stakeholders to have at their disposal.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for performing sponsored research and other sponsored activities under grants and contracts funded by the sponsor or by sources other than State appropriations. (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b)(8)) See above.