State of South Carolina

Request for Information Amendment 1

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400029821 5/12/2026 Monica Briseno 803-737-9931 mbriseno@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services 1333 Main Street, Suite 700 Columbia SC 29201

DESCRIPTION: Customer Service Enterprise Portal

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

SUBMIT INFORMATION BY (Date/Time): 06/29/2026 7/6/2026 11:00 AM ET

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 05/26/2026 12:00 PM ET (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

Initial here if NO redacted copy is necessary___________

This amendment is to extend the deadline for offerors and to answer questions. A list of question and answers can be found on page 8. The remainder of the RFI is unmodified.

Table of Contents

Overview The State Fiscal Accountability Authority on behalf of SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking information from potential vendors that can develop, implement, and manage an enterprise portal system, or any notable component thereof, that can be integrated with the core enterprise system to provide a comprehensive solution with the ability to serve as a one stop shop for all customer business functions. The system must support the ability to create granular user roles for all agency users and must be capable of integration with other agency software and applications.

This RFI is an opportunity for respondents to share ideas and information with and potentially have one on one sessions between DNR and respondents. Respondents invited for such sessions should be prepared to provide insight into current transformation and innovation solutions and technologies and services anticipated to emerge. Respondents will be contacted if a session is needed.

Disclaimer This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation for future business, an offer for procurement, or any other type of current or future procurement or contractual action and is only intended to gather input. SFAA will not award a contract based on this RFI, nor will it pay for the information it receives. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by DNR to form a binding contract. No party is bound by the information provided in response to this RFI.

Respondents may provide market-based pricing structures and describe potential services or solutions for planning purposes only.

Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. DNR is not liable for any costs or fees incurred by the respondent in preparing its responses.

Confidentiality If any of the information in the vendor response is considered confidential, proprietary, or a trade secret, it must be clearly indicated on the appropriate page of the vendor response. Release of such materials is governed by the South Carolina Freedom of Information Law, which in pertinent part requires the requester to provide specific justification as to why disclosure of particular information in the response would cause substantial injury to the competitive position of the vendor. It is incumbent upon the vendor to specify company-specific trade secrets in need of protection where public disclosure of said trade secrets would harm the company.

Public Access to Procurement Information in South Carolina: -http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t11c035.php SECTION 11-35-410. Public access to procurement information.

(A) Procurement information must be a public record to the extent required by Chapter 4, Title 30 (The Freedom of Information Act), except as otherwise provided by this code, and with the exception that commercial or financial information obtained in response to a request for proposals or any type of bid solicitation that is privileged and confidential need not be disclosed.

(B) Privileged and confidential information is information in specific detail not customarily released to the general public, the release of which might cause harm to the competitive position of the party supplying the information. Examples of this type of information include:

(1) customer lists;

(2) design recommendations and identification of prospective problem areas under an RFP;

(3) design concepts, including methods and procedures;

(4) biographical data on key employees of the bidder.

(C) The board shall promulgate regulations directing the public availability and disposition of documents submitted in response or with regard to a solicitation or other request where no award is made.

(D) For all documents submitted in response or with regard to any solicitation or other request, the person submitting the documents shall comply with instructions provided in the solicitation for marking information exempt from public disclosure. Information not marked as required by the applicable instructions may be disclosed to the public.

(E) A governmental body, with the approval of the appropriate chief procurement officer, may keep portions of a solicitation confidential and release the information to prospective offerors only upon execution of a nondisclosure agreement, provided the information is otherwise exempted from disclosure by law.

(F) If requested in writing before a final award by an actual bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor with regard to a specific intended award or award of a contract, the procurement officer shall, within five days of the receipt of any such request, make documents directly connected to the procurement activity and not otherwise exempt from disclosure available for inspection at an office of the responsible procurement officer. Without otherwise limiting any other exemptions granted by law, and except as provided herein, documents of and documents incidental to proposed contractual arrangements, including those used for contract negotiations, are not exempt from disclosure after the date notice of intent to award is posted, unless the notice is subsequently canceled.

Respondents needing confidential treatment for any proprietary information they furnish must provide a redacted version of their response. All material submitted shall be considered SFAA property and may be returned only at SFAA's option. Notwithstanding any respondent's copyright designations contained on responses, SFAA shall have the right to make copies and distribute responses internally and to comply with public record or other disclosure requirements under the provisions of any State or United States statute or regulation, or rule or order of any court of competent jurisdiction.

Respondents to this RFI shall not provide recommendations for specific courses of action and shall not be deemed an advisor or consultant to DNR. DNR will evaluate the information presented and determine any subsequent course of action, including contracting for implementation of DNR-determined work. Such work may be procured through any procurement method available, and respondents to this RFI may be considered for selection to perform such work.

Responses to this RFI will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review, nor will they be provided copies of it.

Statement of Need:

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is seeking information from potential vendors that can develop, implement, and manage an enterprise portal system, or any notable component thereof, that can be integrated with the core enterprise system to provide a comprehensive solution. The system is to include, but not limited to, records and document management for:

· Hunting and Fishing Licenses, Permits & Tags

· Commercial & Recreational Permitting (Saltwater and Wildlife)

· Lottery Hunt Management (Registration, Party/Point Management, Reporting)

· Event Registration (Tournaments, Clinics, Training Classes, Public Programs)

· Volunteer Management (Digital Waiver Forms, Posting Volunteer Opportunities, Digital Timesheets, Staff Verification of Digital Time Sheets)

· Campsite Permitting/Reservations (WMA Campsite Permits)

· Harvest Monitoring and Reporting

· Watercraft Titling and Registration

· Outboard Motor Titling

· Magazine & Product Sales

· Online Application Process for Licensing, Recreational, and Commercial

· Online Application Process for Titling and Registration

· Support sharing of data with Law Enforcement & Other Systems

· Comprehensive set of Marketing Features

· System Management Tools available to Authorized Users (user role functionality)

· Dedicated Mobile App for Law Enforcement

· Customer Mobile App for iOS and Android

· E-Titling and E-Liens

· E-Signature that meets the SC Electronic Submissions Act

· OCR Capabilities with auto population

· Reporting The interest of the agency will be directed toward ease of use, intuitiveness of the portal, and ability of the portal to serve as a one stop shop for all customer business functions. The system must support the ability to create granular user roles for all agency users and must be capable of integration with other agency software and applications.

Background: SCDNR serves as the principal advocate for and steward of South Carolina’s natural resources. SC State Law governs the agency’s recording of titling and registering of watercraft and outboard motors for both individuals and other entities. The law governs the sales of licenses, permits, and tags for recreational and commercial hunting and fishing activities, as well as for scientific collection. This information is recorded, archived and used by appropriate personnel and the agency’s Law Enforcement Division.

It is vital that the agency securely records and maintains Personal Identifying Information (PII) concerning boat ownership, licensing and permits, participation in lottery hunts and in programs such as Property Watch, harvest reporting, and event registrations. SCDNR must be able to report on our licensing and registration data so that marketing, regulation and programmatic improvement decisions can be made.

Customer Service Enterprise Portal Software System requirements:

· Meets PCI and PII Requirements

· Licensing and Permit Sales Management-Recreational and Commercial

· Boat & Motor Titling and Registration Management

· Internal and External Information Integration

· Financial and Statistical and Other Reporting

· Data Storage Requirements

· Customer Relationship Management to include Marketing, Analytics, and Reporting

General Information During this RFI process, SCDNR hopes to learn how various vendors are creating, implementing and managing customer service enterprise portals and related components. We anticipate a future solicitation may include multiple statements of work that may be awarded to a single respondent. As such, we encourages responses to this RFI from specialist providers.

The sole point of contact for this RFI is Monica Briseno, and can be reached as follows:

Monica Briseno Procurement Manager SC State Fiscal Accountability Authority 1333 Main Street, Suite 700 Columbia, SC 29201

(803) 737-3789 mbriseno@mmo.sc.gov Respondents shall make no contact with other DNR personnel, except as permitted by the point of contact, concerning this RFI.

QUESTIONS FROM RESPONDANTS

All questions should be submitted in writing and received by the Procurement Officer for this Request for Information no later than date and time listed on Cover Page One. Email is the preferred method for submitting questions to the Procurement Officer, Title the “Subject Line” of your email, “RFI Questions 5400029821”. Questions must be submitted in an easily copied format such as MS Word. Please do not place your questions in tables. Email mbriseno@mmo.sc.gov.

Response Instructions Respondents should provide their responses in native Microsoft Office or Adobe formatted documents (e.g., Microsoft Word or PowerPoint) via email to the Procurement Officer listed on Page One.

The response must be received by email on or before the date and time of the RFI Response Due listed one Page One. The time of receipt shall be the time recorded by the SFAA email system as received. Please adhere to the following convention for the email subject line in emailed RFI Responses:

[Company Name] - RFI 5400029821 Response

SFAA encourages respondents to focus their responses on DNR-specific elements instead of including generalized or marketing statements and collateral unnecessarily.

In order to facilitate the review of the responses content, please provide the information in exact order as listed below. Responses should be provided within the document directly below each question, maintaining the original formatting of this document.

Response Content:

Cover Letter

· include company name, point of contact name, e-mail address, and telephone number.

Provide specific information about your services and products in relation to the following:

Communications

· Identify and explain how your software informs customers of the status of their current privileges, transaction status, priority points for lottery system, etc.

· Describe the use of communication channels your software uses with customers for marketing activities.

· Describe your digital licensing process and how it integrates with Law Enforcement and other internal agency users.

1. Mobile Application

· Provide information about your mobile application for customers purchasing licenses, permits, and tags and mobile application capabilities for Law Enforcement.

· Provide details of how your software allows a customer easy access into their account to view current licenses, boat registrations and renewals or purchase additional licenses, permits, and tags and registration for events.

Interoperability between software modules

· Describe the system’s capability to communicate and integrate with other software vendors. (Law Enforcement Ticketing System; Document Management System – Perceptive; Education; Event Registration; County and State Tax Collection Agencies; Geographic Information System (GIS))

2. Accounting Information Describe in detail the accounting system with emphasis on:

· Automatic Renewals

· Daily transaction information, including advanced financial reports and ability to deposit collected monies into specific accounts as required by law

· Auditing

· Provide information about real time licensing information to include license trends, number of license sales, churn rates, etc.

· The extent to which your system can provide detailed deposit information by payment type (including type of credit card), locations, channels, dates, frequency, and the level of customization available; The format(s) available for users to use as supporting documentation for deposit entry.

· Your ability to prepare data and files that support the Annual State Hunting and Fishing License Certification and securely maintain the same for US Department of the Interior audits.

· The ability to research refunds/voids within the system.

3. Reporting

· Describe your reporting system to include, but not limited to daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual, yearly and historical accounting reports, agency trend reports, ad hoc reporting capabilities, etc.

4. Security

· Explain security protocols you have within your system to limit employee access to data and information.

· Describe security used to protect PII and meet PCI standards.

5. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

· Describe your use of AI regarding streamlining processes, reducing errors, and improving overall efficiency. Describe any customer service improvements utilizing AI with self-help chat bots, etc.

6. Unique Functionality

· Explain any additional functionality that has not been previously discussed that will provide SCDNR tools to increase productivity and customer satisfaction.

· Identify and describe tools that can be utilized in marketing campaigns.

7. Informational Needs

· If a solicitation were issued in the future, describe specific information would you need in order to respond to the solicitation.

If you believe we missed any categories or capabilities, please include them in your Response.

Question 1: What is the approximate number of internal agency users and external customers (license holders, boat registrants) the system currently serves?

SCDNR Internal Users: ~600 County Users: ~700 Distinct Customers: 720,025 POS Vendors: SCDNR has approximately 400 POS locations that utilize the system that each have between 1 and 15 unique users per location.

Question 2: The RFI references "Customer Relationship Management to include Marketing, Analytics, and Reporting" as a system requirement. Can SCDNR clarify the intended scope of CRM functionality—does the agency envision a full CRM platform, or is this referring to customer engagement and communication features embedded within the portal?

SCDNR envisions a CRM that centralizes constituent data and enables audience segmentation, targeted communications, and marketing automation across multiple channels. It also provides analytics and reporting tools that allow agencies to measure engagement, track campaign performance, and connect outreach efforts to program participation and revenue generation.

Question 3: The Statement of Need lists "Magazine & Product Sales" as a portal component. Can SCDNR define the current scope of magazine and product sales and what capabilities the portal should provide for this function?

The SC Wildlife Magazine and other products (mugs, cups, hats, SCDNR special programs signs) are available for sale through the E-Store. The magazine can be purchased for an individual or as a gift subscription. A file is generated automatically for all subscription orders and transmitted to the fulfilment vendors. An internal report is generated by SCDNR staff for fulfilment of other products sold.

Question 4: Does SCDNR require the portal to serve as a web content management system for managing and publishing public-facing web content, or is the portal’s scope limited to transactional and account-management functions?

No. The portal is limited to transactions and other management functions. Our website is managed by SCDNR.

Question 5: The RFI references a "Comprehensive set of Marketing Features" and "Marketing, Analytics, and Reporting." Can SCDNR describe the types of marketing activities envisioned and whether there are existing marketing tools or platforms currently in use?

SCDNR desires the ability for marketing capabilities to deliver targeted communications to segmented user groups through email marketing, push notifications, and in-app alerts. The agency is interested in analytics and reporting tools that measure engagement and campaign performance, allowing outreach efforts to be tailored and evaluated based on audience behavior and program participation. Also, SCDNR desires the ability to sell branded products to increase awareness, such as drinkware, hats, and prints, as well as license hard cards.

Question 6: When describing services and products, do you prefer responses based on existing deployed solutions with named client references, demonstrated capabilities with documented case studies, or are conceptual/planned capabilities also acceptable for inclusion?

All categories are acceptable-proven deployments, named references, demonstrated capabilities and conceptual capabilities.

Question 7: For the "market-based pricing structures" referenced in the Disclaimer, what level of pricing detail is useful to the agency (high-level ranges, per-module or per-transaction estimates, or full pricing models)?

At this point, pricing is not a priority. This solicitation is intended for SCDNR to gain knowledge on system functionalities.

Question 8: Because the RFI encourages responses from specialist providers, should a specialist respondent maintain the requested response order and answer only the sections where it has relevant component expertise, or does SCDNR prefer that every respondent address each section even where the respondent is not offering a complete end-to-end portal platform?

SCDNR is seeking a fully functional system that meets all our needs, but potential vendors may share any components of their system. In such a case, the respondent should maintain the order provided where possible.

Question 9: For the listed integrations, including law enforcement ticketing, Perceptive, education, event registration, county and state tax collection agencies, and GIS, should respondents assume those are known target systems for a future solicitation, or are they examples of integration categories SCDNR expects the portal to support?

Some of the items listed will be functionality of the portal and others are features that are supported by the portal.

Question 10: For the law enforcement mobile application capability, should respondents address offline or low-connectivity field scenarios, such as license, permit, tag, or vessel-registration verification when network access is unavailable?

Respondents should share functionality provided by their law enforcement mobile app including any offline or low connectivity capabilities.

Question 11: What core legacy systems (platform, database, APIs) must the future portal integrate with for licensing, boat titling, and law-enforcement data exchange?

The portal must integrate our current database for all functionality included in the current system. Currently there are no API’s in use but could be in the future. There are data exchanges between multiple vendors for fulfilment, etc. Vendor must provide real-time replicated database within the SCDNR data center and permit access by SCDNR IT staff to that database.

Question 12: Is the agency open to fixed-fee SaaS licensing models, or does it anticipate a revenue-share/transaction-fee funding structure similar to other state licensing portals?

This solicitation is intended for SCDNR to gain knowledge on system functionalities and what is currently available. You should provide the licensing model that you would recommend Question 13: Does SCDNR expect the vendor to supply call-center staffing, POS hardware, or print-and-mail services, or will those remain separate contracts?

Call center staffing is requested however, license sales by phone is not required. We provide all POS hardware and fulfilment of licenses, permits and tags.

Question 14: What is the anticipated schedule for issuing a formal RFP and the target go-live date for the first functional release of the portal?

The RFP will be posted in the coming months. The current contract ends in April of 2028.

Question 15: If the department issues a solicitation, what would be the estimated timeframe for procurement?

The State’s procurement process takes an estimated minimum of 113 business Question 16: Lastly, does the department have an estimated total contract value for this solicitation?

This RFI is gathering information. Responses may be used to determine a budget for a subsequent solicitation.

Question 17: Can SCDNR provide the most recent fiscal year’s transaction volumes for license sales, boat registrations, lottery applications, and event registrations to help size infrastructure and pricing?

The total number of privileges issued by the system is approximately 2,250,000. We process 25,000 lottery applicants annually. SC has 362,000 active watercraft and approximately 350,000 active motors. We process over 500,000 transactions online annually.

Question 18: Approximately how many watercraft and outboard motor titles and registrations does SCDNR process annually? How many active title and registration records exist in the current system of record?

SC has 362,000 active watercraft and approximately 350,000 active motors. We process approximately 40,000 new watercraft titles annually and approximately 32,000 outboard motor titles.

Question 19: Approximately how many hunting and fishing licenses, permits, and tags does SCDNR issue annually? How many active license/permit records exist in the current system of record?

SC issues over 1.25 million licenses, permits and tags annually. Our system contains over 4 million customer records and over 15 million transaction records.

Question 20: The RFI lists several integration targets (Perceptive DMS, Law Enforcement Ticketing System, Education, Event Registration, County and State Tax Collection Agencies, GIS). Can the agency identify the specific vendors or platforms behind these systems so respondents can speak to actual integration experience rather than general capability?

Perceptive Content is our DMS and integrates into our current system. Law Enforcement uses Smart Cop for ticketing. Education and events management will be part of our global system. The counties have user access in our current system. Files are generated monthly internally based on system data then provided to the counties through sftp. Counties may also transmit daily files to SCDNR through the sftp then they are uploaded into our current system.

Question 21: Is there a current vendor providing this service? If so, could you please provide the current contract documents/information?

The current vendor is Brandt Information Services LLC. Details can be found online: Contract Detail.

Question 22: The RFI mentions the portal should integrate with "the core enterprise system." Can SCDNR identify the current core enterprise system?

SCDNR is searching for a vendor to provide an all-in-one solution for agency and customer use.

Question 23: What system(s) does SCDNR currently use for licensing, titling, and registration?

The current vendor is Brandt Information Services LLC. Details can be found online: Contract Detail.

Question 24: How many years of historical data would need to be migrated to a new system?

SCDNR houses data up to 20 years old.

Question 25: Are there existing mobile apps in use today that the new solution would replace?

Yes, our current vendor provides a mobile app for customer use and a specific mobile app for Law Enforcement.

Question 26: Can SCDNR provide the specific vendor and version of the Law Enforcement Ticketing System the portal must integrate with?

DNR uses Smart Cop Question 27: Is the Perceptive (Document Management System) instance on-premise or cloud-hosted, and what version is currently in use?

This is an on-premises solution that runs in our private cloud.

Question 28: For the Education system integration, is this referring to SCDNR’s hunter education / boater safety program, or a broader statewide education system? Can the specific platform be identified?

We would like to integrate with our current vendor, Kalkomey, for hunter and boat education records to be imported into our system.

Question 29: For County and State Tax Collection Agency integration, are there existing file formats, transmission protocols, or reporting schedules currently in use that the new system must match?

Yes, there are existing file formats that are handled by an internal system that interfaces with the vendor provided replicant within SCDNR private cloud.

Question 30: Which GIS platform does SCDNR currently use?

Esri Question 31: Beyond the specific systems listed in Section 4 (Law Enforcement Ticketing, Perceptive, Education, Event Registration, Tax Collection, GIS), are there additional SCDNR web properties, third-party portals, or external web assets that the new portal must integrate with or replace?

No Question 32: How many distinct fund accounts must the system support for deposit allocation? Are the allocation rules statutory or configurable by the agency?

There are approximately 150 accounts codes in use. All allocations are statutory.

Question 33: What is the current format and submission process for the Annual State Hunting and Fishing License Certification to the US Department of the Interior?

This is currently handled internally but we would like the option to have this provided by our vendor.

Question 34: Is there a USFWS template or specification the system must produce?

Yes.

Question 35: Does SCDNR currently use a specific state accounting or ERP system that the portal’s financial data must integrate with?

SCDNR financial accounting generates reports from our current system to incorporate into our state’s accounting system.

Question 36: Are there specific required reports that SCDNR can share (e.g., existing report templates, mandatory federal/state reporting formats)?

No.

Question 37: Does SCDNR have a preferred business intelligence tool currently in use that the new system should integrate with or export to?

We primarily using Microsoft SSRS Question 38: Does SCDNR require compliance with any specific security frameworks beyond PCI DSS and PII protection?

Yes. Beyond PII and PCI DNR follows state guidelines. More information can be found here: https://admin.sc.gov/services/technology-services/governance-resources Question 39: Does the agency use a centralized identity provider or SSO solution that the portal must integrate with for internal users?

Yes, we have a centralized identity provider. We would like our new system to integrate with this.

Question 40: Does SCDNR have any existing policies or restrictions on the use of AI/ML in government systems, particularly regarding automated decision-making or the handling of PII?

Yes, currently the SC Department of Administration makes decisions regarding AI. More information can be found here: https://admin.sc.gov/services/technology-services/governance-resources Question 41: For AI and OCR capabilities, is SCDNR interested in information about governance controls such as human-in-the-loop review, confidence thresholds, audit logs, model monitoring, PII/PCI handling boundaries, and restrictions on automated eligibility or enforcement decisions?

SCDNR continues to be vigilant about governance controls on AI and OCR capabilities. We would be very interested in information on any data security standards available.

Question 42: Does SCDNR currently accept e-signatures, or would this be a new capability?

Currently we do not accept e-signatures but would like to add this functionality.

Question 43: Are there specific document types that require wet signatures and cannot transition to e-signature?

Currently yes but under state law, if the requirements are met we may accept e-signatures..

Question 44: Will the future solicitation allow for teaming arrangements where a prime vendor partners with specialist subcontractors for specific components (e.g., CRM, marketing automation, reporting)?

Standard practice for SC State Procurement is to have a prime vendor that is responsible for contract performance, but they may subcontract work.

Question 45: Is SCDNR seeking to replace the current enterprise licensing and registration platform entirely, or augment it with additional components such as CRM, marketing, volunteer management, and event registration?

The current contract will expire and we are exploring what is available on the market at this time.

Question 46: Does SCDNR currently utilize any CRM or marketing automation platform (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce, or similar) for constituent engagement and communications?

SCDNR currently relies on the CRM incorporated in our license platform, Atlas. This allows for automated email messaging and targeted marketing based on past license history.

Question 47: For the CRM and marketing features component specifically, does SCDNR anticipate a separate statement of work, or will it be bundled with the core portal development?

The features will be part of the larger statement of work and will include CRM capabilities, automated emails including renewal and onboarding, as well as marketing strategies including targeted emails, push notification and in-app notifications. Additionally, we would require the ability to securely pull down PII of targeted license groups to send secure messages or surveys through our mass emailing and survey platforms.

Question 48: Are there preferred integration standards or APIs that respondents should plan to support for connecting with existing agency systems?

Currently we have no API’s but would like to have that capability for future use.

Question 49: What is SCDNR's estimated annual budget or anticipated contract value for the future Customer Service Enterprise Portal procurement?

This RFI is gathering information for a subsequent solicitation. The budget is not finalized at this time.

Question 50: What is the approximate total annual revenue generated across all transaction types currently managed by SCDNR (licenses, permits, titling/registration, events, campsite reservations, product sales, etc.)?

SCDNR generates.

See attached spreadsheet.

Question 51: What is the approximate annual breakdown of number of transactions and associated for each offering type (e.g., hunting/fishing licenses, watercraft registrations, outboard motor titlings, lottery hunt registrations, event registrations, campsite reservations)?+ See attached spreadsheet.

Question 52: What is the approximate breakdown of annual transactions by payment type — credit/debit card, ACH/EFT, check, and cash?

Approximately 95% of all transactions are credit cards.

Question 53: What percentage of transactions are currently completed online versus in-person at agency offices versus at third-party agent locations?

Approximately 80% of all transactions are processed online.

Question 54: What is the current credit card processing rate, and who bears that cost — the State or the customer?

1.7% that is incurred by the customer.

Question 55: Is SCDNR interested in exploring a model where platform transaction and/or payment processing fees are passed to end users to reduce agency cost?

We already pass this to end users. 1.7% for credit cards is incurred by the customer. There is a $3 online customer transaction fee.

Question 56: What is the annual contract value (or per-transaction rate, if applicable) of the current incumbent system(s)?

This RFI is gathering information to be able to determine a budget for a subsequent solicitation.

Question 57: What system(s) does SCDNR currently use to manage licensing, permitting, titling, registration, and lottery hunts — and are these currently managed via a single integrated platform or separate systems?

Yes, these are provided by an integrated vendor platform, Brandt Information Technologies.

Question 58: What are the biggest pain points or operational challenges with the current system(s), for both agency staff and customers?

N/A Question 59: How many agency staff users (across all roles) will require access to the new system, and can SCDNR provide an approximate breakdown by role type (e.g., licensing staff, LE officers, administrators, finance)?

There are approximately 600 internal users across SCDNR. Approximately 380 are LE users, 50 sales agents that assist customers and the remaining are administrative users.

Question 60: How many physical devices — POS terminals, kiosks, card readers — are currently deployed across SCDNR locations, and will these be replaced or retained under the new solution?

There are approximately 17 card readers located across the state at 5 regional office locations. We do not operate any kiosks.

Question 61: How many customer-facing locations (offices, WMA entry points, agent locations) does SCDNR currently operate?

SCDNR operates 6 customer service locations and approximately 400 POS vendors that utilize the system.

Question 62: What is the current process for watercraft titling — is it paper-based, partially digital, or fully digital today?

Customers can apply by mail, in person or online.

Question 63: How are lottery hunt registrations and priority points currently managed?

Lottery hunts and preference points are managed by our current system.

Question 64: What is SCDNR's current payment processor or payment gateway? Is SCDNR open to using an alternate (vendor-proposed) PCI-compliant payment processor for the new system?

SCDNR is required to use the state payment processor, FiServ.

Question 65: What version of Perceptive (Hyland) is currently deployed, and what is the integration use case — document storage, retrieval, or both?

We are using Perceptive Content Foundation 24.1. It is used for storage and retrieval.

Question 66: Which Law Enforcement ticketing system is currently in use, and does LE require real-time bidirectional data exchange or read-only license/registration lookups?

SCDNR LE uses Smart Cop that is currently not integrated with our licensing system.

Question 67: What GIS platform does SCDNR use, and what spatial data or mapping functionality is anticipated in the new portal?

ESRI

Question 68: Which county and state tax collection agencies require integration, and what data must be exchanged (e.g., titling tax, boat registration fees)?

SCDNR provides files and receives files from 46 different counties. All information relating to the boat and motor (customer information, title number, registration number, hull number, serial number, make, model, year, horsepower, tax status, registration fees) is included in the file.

Question 69: Does SCDNR have a target go-live date for the new system?

After the current contract expiration in May of 2028.

Question 70: Does SCDNR envision a phased implementation approach (e.g., licensing first, then titling/registration, then advanced features) or a full simultaneous launch?

Simultaneous launch.

Question 71: Will parallel operation of the incumbent system be permitted during the transition period, and if so, for how long?

No.

Question 72: The RFI references a "core enterprise system" to which the portal would be integrated — can SCDNR clarify what this core system is, or whether the intent is for the vendor to deliver the full end-to-end enterprise system?

SCDNR is seeking to obtain a portal that integrates our data into an all-in-one solution for agency and customer needs.

Question 73: Does SCDNR currently use a third-party agent network (e.g., sporting goods retailers, bait shops) for license sales, and would those agents need access to the new platform?

Yes, we use a third-party agent network and yes, they would need access.

Question 74: For the Law Enforcement mobile app — is the requirement for a standalone app built by the portal vendor, or integration into an existing LE field application?

SCDNR would prefer a standalone app.

Question 75: For the U.S. DOI annual hunting and fishing license certification — what is the current reporting format and submission process, and what specific data fields are required?

This is done internally to meet the specifications required by the USFWS.

Question 76: Does the magazine and product sales module need to support physical inventory management and fulfillment, or is it limited to digital/subscription sales?

Fulfillment is currently done in-house. The vendor will provide sales and subscription support. The system does need to provide some type of inventory control to manage stock.

Question 77: What is the specific technology stack, database vendor, and hosting environment of the core enterprise system with which the new portal must integrate?

SCDNR is seeking a vendor supported cloud solution that provides a replicated database server on prem for SCDNR IT staff to integrate to. MS SQL SERVER version 2020.

Question 78: Will the vendor be responsible for migrating historical data and unstructured documents (e.g., PDFs, images) from the legacy system, and if so, what are the estimated volumes in terms of record counts and gigabytes/terabytes?

Yes, the vendor will be responsible for migrating history data and stored documents. We have approximately 1.5 terabytes of data to migrate.

Question 79: Are there any specific versions, or integration protocols for the external applications mentioned, such as Perceptive Document Management and the Law Enforcement Ticketing System?

Unknown at this time.

Question 80: Does the State of South Carolina or the agency mandate the use of a centralized payment gateway provider, or is the vendor expected to supply a merchant processor?

Yes, we are required to process payments through FiServ. You may manages online sales through the payment processor of your choice but must integrate with FiServ.

Question 81: For the required electronic lien and electronic titling functionalities, does the agency utilize an existing Electronic Lien and Titling network, or must the vendor establish those financial institution connections?

We currently do not provide e-titling but will be implementing e-liens. It would be preferred that the potential vendor established the connection with the financial institutions.

Question 82: Does the dedicated Law Enforcement mobile application require offline data caching capabilities for use in areas without cellular service?

It is preferred to have offline capabilities so that LE officers in the field always have access to the system.

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