In-state/ out-of-state process service

The State of South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) is seeking qualified process servers to provide in-state and out-of-state civil process service delivery for its Office of General Counsel and Child Support Services Division. The solicitation covers four geographic regions within South Carolina (Upstate, Midlands, Lowcountry, and Pee Dee) and requires vendors capable of serving legal documents to defendants and witnesses nationwide. Mandatory qualifications include a minimum of three years of prior experience with similar legal process service programs, an electronic database reporting system, expert knowledge of South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, and comprehensive background clearances for all personnel. Offerors may bid on individual regions, multiple regions, or out-of-state services, with pricing structured by service type and region and maximum allowable rates ranging from $31.00 to $61.00 for in-state services and $75.00 to $100.00 for out-of-state services. The procurement timeline included a pre-bid conference on July 28, 2022, with questions due by August 1, 2022, and offers submitted online by August 25, 2022, at 11:00 AM, with award notification expected on September 1, 2022.

The contract will have an initial one-year term beginning September 1, 2022, with four optional one-year renewals, potentially extending the contract to a maximum of five years. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged or minority-owned businesses were explicitly detailed, the solicitation noted state vendor preferences under South Carolina Code Section 11-35-1524 for resident vendors, contractors, and subcontractors. The annual estimated budget for this contract is $2,579,160.00, though no specific regional or county budget breakdown was provided. The procurement will result in a Qualified Provider List, with award made to all responsive and responsible offerors, though placement on the list does not guarantee service volume. SCDSS may utilize both contract awardees and Sheriff's offices for process service at its discretion, in accordance with South Carolina Code Section 63-3-370. Pricing reflects agency-approved rates, with out-of-state service volumes ranging from 1,003 to 2,643 serves annually based on historical data.