Intent to award sole source- DRC

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) has issued a sole source procurement solicitation #5400015708 for TABE Education Testing materials and services from Data Recognition Corporation (DRC). The procurement encompasses comprehensive testing materials, including online access, answer booklets, test booklets across all testing levels, and instructional materials in both hard copy and online formats. Vendors are required to provide complete documentation demonstrating authorization to perform all aspects of the required services and must submit a signed copy of the three-page solicitation form. The response deadline is July 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., with sealed offers to be submitted to the SCDC Purchasing Branch located at 4420 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210, or emailed to purchasing@doc.sc.gov with "SOLE SOURCE" in the subject line. No bidder's conference or site visit is applicable to this solicitation, and the award becomes effective after the opening date and time if no competing responses are received.

While the solicitation does not explicitly outline set-aside designations or specific enterprise restrictions, it does provide a protest mechanism for potential vendors who believe they can provide the required materials and services. Vendors who wish to contest the sole source award must submit a notice of intent to protest within five business days of posting and the actual protest within fifteen days to the Chief Procurement Officer at the Materials Management Office. The SCDC has previously issued this solicitation to multiple vendors through the South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO) but received only one response from DRC, which continues to be the sole vendor responding to the department's requests for quotations. The Intent to Award notice will be posted in SCBO for a minimum of ten business days as required by South Carolina Code 11-35-1560. No specific award value or budget range was disclosed in the available documentation.