ESSER GRANT EVALUATION

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) is seeking a contractor to conduct an annual evaluation of the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER III) grant program for up to five higher education subgrantees, including The Citadel, Clemson University, Francis Marion University, and potentially two additional institutions. The primary objective is to assess program outcomes, analyze instructional services delivered through summer school programs, and produce a comprehensive Evaluation Annual Report. Deliverables include an electronic and hardcopy report not exceeding 50 pages, to be submitted by July 25, 2023, in Word and PDF formats. Bidders must provide a detailed, itemized budget, professional history, samples of comparable work, and reference contact information. The solicitation requires vendors to coordinate limited travel to subgrantee institutions, collect and analyze student-level data including credits earned and attendance information, and work closely with CHE staff throughout the project. Key deadlines include March 8, 2023, at 2:00 PM for questions, March 15, 2023, at 2:00 PM for proposal submissions, and March 30, 2023, for award notification. The contract period runs from April 1, 2023, through March 30, 2024, with a potential one-year extension option.

The procurement is open to all qualified vendors, with mandatory registration as a South Carolina state vendor. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned in the solicitation. Bidders must comply with standard contract terms, including provisions on debarment certification, drug-free workplace certification, ethics compliance, and immigration requirements. No incumbent vendors or existing technological infrastructure requiring integration are identified in the documents. The solicitation will award to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with the CHE assuming printing costs for the final Annual Report. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the procurement documents indicate that the total contract price must include all associated costs, including estimated travel expenses. The original solicitation received only one offer that exceeded the established budget limit, resulting in a "Statement of No Award" and a subsequent re-issuance of the solicitation with potential modifications to the scope of work.