INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE - DRC

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) has issued an Intent to Award Sole Source procurement for TABE Education Testing materials and services from Data Recognition Corporation (DRC). The solicitation seeks comprehensive testing materials including test booklets, answer booklets, online access, and instructional materials at all levels in both hard copy and online formats. This procurement was initially advertised as Request for Quotation #5400015708 and distributed to multiple vendors, but SCDC received only one response from DRC. The department requires all testing materials to support educational programming within the correctional system. Responses to this Intent to Award Sole Source must be submitted by January 16, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., either via physical mail to the Purchasing Branch at 4420 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210, or by email to purchasing@doc.sc.gov with "SOLE SOURCE" in the subject line. No pre-bid conference or site visit is applicable to this solicitation, and the notice will be posted in the South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO) for at least ten business days as required by state code.

The solicitation appears to have no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations, though vendors must be authorized to perform and supply services to the SC Department of Corrections. DRC has been identified as the sole responsive vendor to previous RFQs and is considered the only vendor capable of providing these comprehensive TABE testing services and materials. Vendors who are aggrieved by the intended award may protest by submitting a notice of intent to protest within five business days of the notice posting and the actual protest within fifteen days to the Chief Procurement Officer at the Materials Management Office. While specific pricing terms, contract duration, and renewal options are not detailed in the Intent to Award notice, the procurement appears focused on ongoing educational testing materials for the correctional system. Potential respondents should note that any protest must be submitted to 1201 Main Street, Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29201, and that DRC is positioned as the preferred and potentially sole vendor for these testing materials and services.