Intent to award sole source - persevere

The South Carolina Department of Corrections is issuing an Intent to Award Sole Source contract (Solicitation #5400019254) to Persevere for comprehensive inmate job skills training and rehabilitation services. The procurement specifically targets instructor-led facilitated training in coding, including specialized certifications such as Responsive Web Design, JavaScript Algorithms & Data Structures, Front-end Libraries, Data Visualization, APIs & Microservices, and Information Security & Quality Assurance. Beyond technical training, the contract encompasses job search and placement services, soft skills training, life skills education, mentoring support, and entrepreneurial training aimed at helping inmates establish coding service businesses post-release. The sole source notice was posted on January 17, 2020, with a response deadline of February 12, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. Potential vendors wishing to challenge the award must submit responses via mail or email to purchasing@doc.sc.gov, with "SOLE SOURCE" in the subject line. Respondents must provide documentation demonstrating authorization to perform all specified services and training. Vendors have thirty calendar days to hold their offers open, and the award becomes effective if no challenges are received.

While no specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the solicitation requires potential vendors to be fully authorized to provide the comprehensive training and support services. The contract appears focused on a single vendor, Persevere, which is expanding its services to include residential transitional services for inmates. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the documentation. Vendors must comply with South Carolina Code Section 11-35-4210 for any protests, which require a notice of intent to protest within five business days of posting and formal written protests submitted within fifteen days. Protests must be submitted to the Chief Procurement Officer at the Materials Management Office in Columbia, South Carolina. The notice will be posted in the South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO) for at least ten business days, as mandated by state procurement regulations.