AMENDMENT 1.doc

SAP

State of South Carolina

Request for Proposal Amendment #1

Solicitation Number:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400021990 12/06/2021 Faith Williams

803 896-6677 fwilliams@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services, OSP 1201 Main Street, Suite 600 Columbia SC 29201

DESCRIPTION: TUITION PAYMENT PLAN SERVICES

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: Trident Technical College

The Term "Offer" Means Your "Bid" or "Proposal". Unless submitted on-line, your offer must be submitted in a sealed package. Solicitation Number & Opening Date must appear on package exterior. See "Submitting Your Offer" provision.

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 12/20/2021 11:00 AM EST (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: TIME PASSED email questions to fwilliams@mmo.sc.gov (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED ON-LINE BID

CONFERENCE TYPE: Pre-Proposal

DATE & TIME: 11/16/2021 11:00:00 AM EST

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions) LOCATION: Not Applicable

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE – ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)SAP

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JANUARY 2006) (a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov . (b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two, (3) by letter, or (4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged.

THE SOLICITATION IS AMENDED AS PROVIDED HEREIN. INFORMATION OR CHANGES RESULTING FROM QUESTIONS WILL BE SHOWN IN A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. ALL QUESTIONS RECEIVED HAVE BEEN REPRINTED BELOW. THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” SHOULD BE READ WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE QUESTIONS. THE QUESTIONS ARE INCLUDED SOLELY TO PROVIDE A CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIAL OFFEROR THAT SUBMITTED THE QUESTION. QUESTIONS DO NOT FORM A PART OF THE CONTRACT; THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” DOES. ANY RESTATEMENT OF PART OR ALL OF AN EXISTING PROVISION OF THE SOLICITATION IN AN ANSWER DOES NOT MODIFY THE ORIGINAL PROVISION EXCEPT AS FOLLOWS: UNDERLINED TEXT IS ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL PROVISON. STRICKEN TEXT IS DELETED.

CHANGES TO THE SOLICITATION: Extend “SUBMIT OFFER BY” date / Answer vendor questions The “SUBMIT OFFER BY” date/time is now extended to 12/20/2021 11:00 AM EST.

ANSWER VENDOR QUESTIONS – RESPONSE IN RED

1. Does Trident Technical College (TTC) have a vendor currently in place facilitating their students and families in tuition payment plan services?

Answer: Trident’s current payment plan program is with Nelnet

2. Does TTC have a particular budget for the Tuition Payment Plan Services RFP project?

Answer: No. See Section titled “Fees” on page 19 of the solicitation which states: “The college shall not accept responsibility for or pay any fees to the contractor.”

3. Are the Vendor/Contractor fees for the services included in the student's tuition or separate?

Answer: The Vendor/Contractor fees for the services are not included in the student’s tuition.

4. Is there any fees associated with the TTC other than tuition & textbooks? (Ex. Late registration, application, enrollment form fees….) If so what are they and how much is needed to be charged per student?

Answer: The payment plan requested in this solicitation is for tuition and fees included are a part of tuition only. No other fees are covered by the plan. Textbooks are not included in the plan.

5. What is the total Cost of Tuition to attend Trident Technical College?

Answer: The cost varies by program and by student residency. Rates can be found on TTC website: https://www.tridenttech.edu/pay/cost/index.htm

6. Would the vendor/contractor assist with different tuition amounts from different degree programs?

Answer: The payment plan will be open to all credit students regardless of program.

7. Would TTC need the new vendor/contractor to conduct entrance and exit counseling sessions for each student?

Answer: TTC will not need the new vendor/contractor to conduct entrance and exist counseling sessions for each student.

8. For TTC's Tuition Payment Plan Services, would the vendor/contractor deal with only enrollment & current students or assist students who have graduated as well?

Answer: The contract would deal with current students.

9. Would TTC need to work with the collection agency also to resolve repayment options for the students?

Answer: TTC currently works with state contracted collection agencies. That service is not a part of this scope.

10. Is it expected for the vendor/contractor to collect payments while students are in an in-school status? Or are monies collected after they graduate or withdraw from the program?

Answer: The payments are collected while students are in an “in-school” status.

11. Is the vendor/contractor required to provide the tuition payment services onsite to students, or can it be done through a virtual platform? Could a vendor do both?

Answer: The tuition payment services are provided through a virtual platform.

12. Is there a required acknowledgment form we should complete and send back to participate?

Answer: No required form to send back. However, vendor registration is mandatory to be eligible to submit an offer. See page 14 of solicitation VENDOR REGISTRATION MANDATORY (MOD)

13. Your solicitation states: The college will provide the contractor with mailing address information for entering, transfer, and returning students for the contractor’s initial mailing. Subsequently, the college will provide mailing information only for entering and transfer students. Additionally, the college will provide a link from the college’s website.

We need to know if the college will provide the contractor with the following information based on snail mail current delivery times and cost:

1. student school email address

2. student personal email address

3. student current contact phone number Answer: All files and communicated information is shared electronically through secured access of files. Information included is school email address and phone number.

END OF AMENDMENT 1

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