Intent to award sole source - persevere

The South Carolina Department of Corrections has issued an Intent to Award Sole Source contract to Persevere for comprehensive inmate job skills training programs. The procurement focuses on providing instructor-led courses in technical skills, specifically coding certifications including Responsive Web Design, JavaScript Algorithms & Data Structures, Front-end Libraries, Data Visualization, APIs & Microservices, and Information Security & Quality Assurance. Beyond technical instruction, the contract requires Persevere to deliver job search and placement services, soft skills training, life skills education, mentoring support, and entrepreneurial training aimed at preparing inmates to start coding service businesses upon release. The solicitation requires electronic submissions to purchasing@doc.sc.gov or mail to the SC Department of Corrections Purchasing Branch at 4420 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210, with responses due by July 13, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. Vendors must be fully authorized to perform and supply all services and training detailed in the solicitation, with the award becoming effective after the opening date if no protest responses are received.

The sole source procurement does not specify set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise requirements, or specific funding allocations. No incumbent vendor information or existing technology integration requirements are detailed in the document. While the solicitation does not provide specific contract pricing or budget ranges, it indicates Persevere will expand services to include residential transitional services with structured home-like environments for program graduates. Vendors who believe they are aggrieved by the intended award may file a protest within the timeframes outlined in Section 11-35-4210 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. The notice was posted in the South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO) for the mandated ten business days, ensuring transparency in the procurement process. The contract appears to be focused on innovative rehabilitation and workforce development strategies within the state's corrections system, targeting inmate skills training and post-release employment opportunities.