Intent to award sole source- justdetent

The South Carolina Department of Corrections intends to award a sole source contract to Just Detention International for a comprehensive demonstration projects program aimed at reducing sexual victimization in correctional facilities. The project's key objectives include establishing a "zero tolerance" environment through multiple strategic interventions, such as developing victim-centric and trauma-informed strategies for staff and medical personnel, improving leadership and organizational culture, and conducting specialized investigator training for sexual abuse and harassment cases. Specific deliverables include inmate leadership programming, agency-wide pilot program expansion, and the identification and training of subject matter expert teams focusing on PREA investigations, LGBTI inmate safety, and emergency health care response. The procurement is specific to Richland County and requires vendors to be fully licensed and accredited. The response deadline was July 14, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., with submissions accepted via mail or email to the SC Department of Corrections Purchasing Branch located at 4420 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29210. Procurement officer Myrtle DeWerdt was designated as the primary contact for this opportunity.

While the document does not explicitly outline set-aside designations or specific enterprise restrictions, it provides detailed protest rights for aggrieved vendors under South Carolina Code Section 11-35-4210. Vendors wishing to challenge the intended award must submit a notice of intent to protest within five business days of posting and file the actual protest within fifteen days. The solicitation was required to be posted in the South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO) for at least ten business days, ensuring transparency in the procurement process. No specific budget range or award value was explicitly stated in the documentation. The procurement becomes effective after the opening date and time if no competing responses are received, with the requirement that all three pages of the Intent to Award Sole Source form must be submitted along with documentation proving the vendor's authorization to perform all required services. The sole source nature of the contract suggests a unique capability or expertise that Just Detention International possesses in addressing sexual victimization in correctional settings.