Amendment 1.docx

State of South Carolina

Fixed Price Bid

Amendment 1

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400023180 8/11/2022

KAYLA MIDDLETON

803-737-2609 kmiddleton@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services, MMO PO Box 101103 Columbia SC 29211

DESCRIPTION: In-State/ Out-of-State Process Service

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS)

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

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 8/25/2022 11:00:00 AM (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 8/1/2022 5:00:00 PM (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: One (1) Online Submission

CONFERENCE TYPE: Pre-Bid Conference

DATE & TIME: 7/28/2022 10:00:00 AM

If you’d like to attend email the Procurement Officer for instructions no later than 7/27/2022 by 05:00 PM

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions) LOCATION: Online via Microsoft Teams

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 two hundred and ten (210) 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)

SAPAP

PAGE TWO

(Return Page Two with Your Offer) HOME OFFICE ADDRESS (Address for offeror's home office / principal place of business)

NOTICE ADDRESS (Address to which all procurement and contract related notices should be sent.) (See "Notice" clause)

_________________________________________________ Area Code - Number - Extension Facsimile

_________________________________________________ E-mail Address

PAYMENT ADDRESS (Address to which payments will be sent.) (See "Payment" clause)

____Payment Address same as Home Office Address ____Payment Address same as Notice Address (check only one) ORDER ADDRESS (Address to which purchase orders will be sent) (See "Purchase Orders and "Contract Documents" clauses)

____Order Address same as Home Office Address ____Order Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

Offerors acknowledges receipt of amendments by indicating amendment number and its date of issue. (See "Amendments to Solicitation" Provision)

DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See "Discount for Prompt Payment" clause)

PREFERENCES - A NOTICE TO VENDORS (SEP. 2009): On June 16, 2009, the South Carolina General Assembly rewrote the law governing preferences available to in-state vendors, vendors using in-state subcontractors, and vendors selling in-state or US end products. This law appears in Section 11-35-1524 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. A summary of the new preferences is available at www.procurement.sc.gov/preferences . ALL THE PREFERENCES MUST BE CLAIMED AND ARE APPLIED BY LINE ITEM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER AWARD IS MADE BY ITEM OR LOT. VENDORS ARE CAUTIONED TO CAREFULLY REVIEW THE STATUTE BEFORE CLAIMING ANY PREFERENCES. THE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY HAVE CHANGED. IF YOU REQUEST A PREFERENCE, YOU ARE CERTIFYING THAT YOUR OFFER QUALIFIES FOR THE PREFERENCE YOU'VE CLAIMED. IMPROPERLY REQUESTING A PREFERENCE CAN HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. [11-35-1524(E)(4)&(6)] PREFERNCES DO NOT APPLY

PREFERENCES - ADDRESS AND PHONE OF IN-STATE OFFICE: Please provide the address and phone number for your in-state office in the space provided below. An in-state office is necessary to claim either the Resident Vendor Preference (11-35-1524(C)(1)(i)&(ii)) or the Resident Contractor Preference (11-35-1524(C)(1)(iii)). Accordingly, you must provide this information to qualify for the preference. An in-state office is not required, but can be beneficial, if you are claiming the Resident Subcontractor Preference (11-35-1524(D)). PREFERNCES DO NOT APPLY

____In-State Office Address same as Home Office Address ____In-State Office Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

PAGE TWO (SEP 2009)

End of PAGE TWO

QUESTIONS FROM OFFERORS - AMENDMENT (JUN 2017)

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. [02-2A097-1]

The following questions were received pursuant to the original date and time specified on the front of the solicitation:

1. How many DSS serves have there been for each region in 2020 and 2021 and how many are anticipated for 2023? Per month and/or annually.

Agency Response: Per Region information is not available currently. For Out of State: As of January - March 2022 there were 1003 serves including both unsuccessful and successful services. In 2020, there were a total of 2643 serves including successful and unsuccessful services. In 2021, there were a total of 2527 serves including successful and unsuccessful services.

1. How many DSS serves have there been for each region in 2020 and 2021 and how many are anticipated for 2023? Per month and/or annually.

Agency Response: See question #1 for the answer.

1. How many Child Support out-of-state serves have there been in 2020 and 2021 and how many are anticipated for 2023? Per month and/or annually.

Agency Response: In 2020, there were a total of 2643 serves including successful and unsuccessful services. In 2021 there were a total of 2527 serves including successful and unsuccessful services. Due to the impact of the pandemic on CSSD ability to schedule cases for court, 2019 represents a much more typical year of our operations, and in that year, there were a total of 3759 serves including successful and unsuccessful service. As of January - March 2022, there were 1003 serves including both unsuccessful and successful services.

1. Are there any additional approval or certification requirements for private process servers used for out of state serves? For private process servers in South Carolina?

Agency Response: No, there are no additional approval or certification requirements for private process servers unless otherwise stated in the solicitation.

1. Does your current pricing for all serves reflect the going rates charged by private process servers in SC (were recent price increases by serves as well as gasoline prices, inflation, etc. taken into consideration in setting those prices)?

Agency Response: The price reflected in the solicitation are the approved rates for the agency.

1. Does your current pricing for all serves reflect the going rates charged by private process servers out-of-state (were recent price increases by serves as well as gasoline prices, inflation, etc. taken into consideration in setting those prices)?

Agency Response: See question #5 for the answer

1. Does your agency intend to use awardees only or will you be using both awardees and Sheriff’s offices for service of process?

Agency Response: There are some cases where we are legally able to use sheriff’s offices for service and would likely do so at our discretion according to the Code of law § 63-3-370.

1. Has an annual budget amount for this Bid already been approved? If so, how much? And how does it break down by region and/or county?

Agency Response: Yes, the annual estimated budget is approved for $2,579,160.00, but it is not broken down by region or county.

1. Is pick up and delivery required at each county office or will electronic submission of documents and return of affidavits be accepted with originals returned by first class mail?

Agency Response: For out-of-state service, electronic submission of documents and return of original affidavits by first class mail are both acceptable. For in-state service, delivery of original affidavits to the county should be in person as soon as practicable after service upon request by the county for emergency matters.

1. Why is the price for unsuccessful service of out of state documents $25 less than successful service? In our experience, the amount of work involved is the same regardless of whether a good address is provided or not.

Agency Response: We have found that higher payment for successful service yields a greater percentage of successful serves.

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