Inmate telephone and communication services

The County of Greenville, South Carolina is soliciting proposals for comprehensive Inmate Telephone and Communication Services for the Greenville County Detention Center (RFP #27025), with sealed proposals due October 9, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. and inquiries due September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

The scope is a turnkey system serving approximately 1,600 average daily population inmates across multiple facilities. The Proposer must provide and operate debit, collect, and free calling functionality with automated call processing (PIN or biometric verification), real-time call detail records, and three-way call detection integrated with the jail management system. Required ancillary services include call monitoring and recording with minimum twelve-month digital storage, correctional-grade tablets with educational and communication capabilities, mail scanning for contraband interdiction, video visitation platforms, and inmate request and grievance management. All equipment — vandal-resistant telephone sets, network infrastructure, and charging stations — must be provided by the Proposer at no cost to the County and remains the Proposer's property upon contract conclusion.

All rates must comply with Federal Communications Commission Incarcerated People's Communications Services rules and rate caps, quoted on a per-minute basis for local, intrastate long-distance, interstate long-distance, international, and intra-LATA toll calls. Ancillary service charges (account setup, automated payment, paper bill, refund processing fees) are prohibited and must be incorporated into per-minute rates. An interim facility cost recovery additive of $0.02 per minute as authorized by the FCC's 2025 IPCS Order should be incorporated and remitted to the County monthly with detailed accounting. No revenue-sharing, sign-on bonuses, or monetary contributions from the Proposer to the County are permitted.

Proposers must submit certified financial statements demonstrating financial stability and minimum five references from similar correctional facilities. Insurance requirements include comprehensive general liability ($1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), automobile liability ($1 million), statutory workers' compensation, professional liability ($1 million), and cyber liability ($2 million). Proposal evaluation criteria are weighted equally at 16.7% each: financial proposal, technical solution and system capabilities, qualifications and experience, investigative and security features, customer service and support, and references. Initial tablet deployment must occur within sixty days of contract execution unless an alternative phased timeline is mutually agreed. Anticipated award is October 23, 2026, with contract negotiations October 23 through November 6 and notice to proceed on November 6, 2026.