Financial management/payroll services

The State Fiscal Accountability Authority, on behalf of the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN), is soliciting proposals for comprehensive Financial Management/Payroll Services to support self-directed service providers across South Carolina. The contract will serve over 37,000 people with disabilities through local Disabilities and Special Needs Boards and Regional Centers, focusing on processing payroll for approximately 1,500 active self-directed participants in waiver programs including Intellectual Disability/Related Disabilities, Community Supports, and Head and Spinal Cord Injury. The selected contractor will be responsible for processing payroll, withholding taxes, managing Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system operations, and ensuring compliance with federal and state employment regulations. The evaluation will be based on technical ability (40 points), qualifications and experience (30 points), and price (30 points), with offerors required to demonstrate a minimum of three years of similar experience. Key dates include a pre-solicitation meeting held on March 23, 2022, proposal submission deadline of May 26, 2022, at 11:00 AM ET, and an anticipated contract start date of July 1, 2022, with a potential five-year contract life including four one-year renewal options.

The solicitation operates under a joint employer model, with both the vendor and DDSN considered joint employers, while the consumer's family or designated representative serves as the employer of record. Vendors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 general liability, $5,000,000 cyber liability, and workers' compensation as required by South Carolina law. All government information must remain within the continental United States, with offshore performance prohibited. The current Financial Management System (FMS) provider is Charles Lea Administrative Services, and the new vendor must utilize the existing AuthentiCare EVV system. The contract requires advancing approximately $500,000 in weekly payroll funds, with an average weekly gross payroll of $475,000 and monthly expenditures of about $2,050,000. The Total Cost of Ownership is estimated at $3,285,000, with pricing structured across Implementation ($10,000), Operations ($3,273,000), and Turnover ($2,000) phases, covering three base years and two potential option years. Importantly, the Notice of Cancellation was issued on September 15, 2022, indicating that no products or services were ultimately procured under this specific solicitation.