Digital persona

The SC Housing Finance & Development Authority is seeking a comprehensive Digital Persona biometric authentication solution through an Invitation for Bid solicitation covering Richland County. The procurement requires 150 Digital Persona Windows Logon licenses, accompanied by one year of annual maintenance and support for all licensed users. Key deliverables include initial staff training on Premium and Windows Logon functionality, full integration with Windows Server Active Directory, configuration for all users and computers, integration of HID peripherals, and 150 OmniKey 5022 Contactless CCID-compliant readers operating at 13.56 MHz. Bidders must submit sealed proposals electronically at www.procurement.sc.gov by April 30, 2020 at 3:00 PM, with questions accepted until April 14, 2020 at 12:00 PM. The contract will commence on May 12, 2020 and extend through May 11, 2021, with technical support required 24 hours per day, Monday through Friday, and a mandatory two-hour initial response time. Award will be determined based on the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, calculated through a total cost of ownership evaluation considering all five line items.

The solicitation includes specific vendor registration requirements, with bidders mandated to be registered South Carolina vendors and potential eligibility for in-state preferences if maintaining a state office with at least two employees working 35 hours weekly for a minimum of 50 weeks annually. Nonresident contractors may be subject to a two percent state withholding requirement unless registered. The procurement allows for potential additional license or reader purchases during the contract term, and bidders are cautioned that improper preference claims could result in serious consequences including contract termination and debarment. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the solicitation emphasizes responsible and responsive bidding. No incumbent vendor information is provided in the documentation, and no specific budget range is detailed. The procurement appears focused on standardizing and enhancing the agency's biometric authentication infrastructure through a comprehensive technology solution.