INMATE PACKAGE PROGRAM

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) is soliciting proposals for an Inmate Package Program through the State Fiscal Accountability Authority, targeting package procurement and distribution for over 17,000 offenders across multiple correctional facilities in Richland County and statewide. The program requires a comprehensive vendor solution to manage quarterly package offerings, with two full packages including food, hygiene, and clothing items, and two packages limited to food and hygiene products. Each eligible inmate can receive packages with a $250.00 limit plus shipping and handling, with specific quantity restrictions on different product categories. The procurement seeks a contractor responsible for complete logistics, operations, product sourcing, and service support, including secure payment processing, order management across multiple channels (internet, fax, mail, phone), and maintaining a toll-free customer service line. Vendors must submit proposals online by November 13, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. EST, with a pre-proposal conference scheduled for October 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. EST via virtual platform. Award notification is expected on December 10, 2025, with an initial two-year contract term beginning April 26, 2026, and potential for up to three additional one-year renewals.

The solicitation does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, but requires vendors to provide a minimum 35 percent commission rate on gross sales and reimburse SCDC for various operational costs including staff salaries, inmate labor, utilities, and transportation expenses. The program will operate from an 11,792 square-foot facility at Trenton Correctional Institution, with the contractor responsible for providing all materials, tools, equipment, labor, and services. While no incumbent vendor is directly named, the documents suggest an existing program with historical purchasing data from 2019-2024 showing consistent product demand across 27 correctional facilities. Vendors must complete comprehensive market basket pricing submissions, providing branded products across multiple categories including food, snacks, clothing, and personal care items, with annual order quantities ranging from 65 to 47,500 units depending on the product. The contract's potential five-year total value is not explicitly stated, but historical order volumes and the extensive product range suggest a significant procurement opportunity with substantial financial implications for the selected vendor.