Career success course and summit/expo

The South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department (SCVRD) is soliciting bids for two distinct services under this procurement: a Career Success Course and a Youth Leadership Summit and Expo targeting at-risk youth. The Career Success Course requires curriculum covering teambuilding skills, soft skills training, career exploration, resume development, interviewing skills, motivation, and self-understanding, along with necessary supplies for approximately 400 students. The Youth Leadership Summit and Expo must be at least one day in length and include leadership empowerment, soft skills development, career exploration, college preparation, motivational speakers, workshops, networking opportunities, teambuilding, mentoring, character development, and health and wellness education for approximately 500 students. Vendors must have been in business conducting similar activities for at least two consecutive years and must provide comprehensive documentation including curriculum, agenda, past activity examples, professional references, signed confidentiality agreements, drug-free affidavits, and completed national background checks for all staff. The solicitation was issued on October 21, 2019, with bid questions due by October 24, 2019, at 2:00 PM, and bids opening on October 29, 2019, at 12:00 PM. The contract is anticipated to begin November 6, 2019, and end November 5, 2020, with award going to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder.

The procurement is funded through federal money designated for pre-employment transition services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, specifically complying with 34 C.F.R. 361 and 2 C.F.R. 200 regulations. While no specific set-aside designations are explicitly mentioned, the state may claim applicable South Carolina resident contractor or subcontractor preferences. Vendors must submit pricing on a per-student basis, with SCVRD only paying for actual student attendance, and invoices to be submitted upon completion of each activity and paid within 30 business days of receipt and service acceptance. Vendors must also complete a Drug-Free Workplace Affidavit, which is required for contracts valued at $50,000 or more. The solicitation requires submission of one original sealed offer, either physically mailed to the SCVRD at 1410 Boston Avenue, West Columbia, SC 29170, or electronically submitted via http://www.procurement.sc.gov. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the procurement anticipates serving 400 students for the Career Success Course and 500 students for the Youth Leadership Summit and Expo, suggesting a potential contract value based on per-student pricing.