INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE- APEX LEARNING

The South Carolina Department of Corrections is pursuing a sole source procurement for Apex Learning's digital curriculum and tutorials, specifically targeting the Palmetto Unified School District which serves approximately 2,500 student inmates across 21 sites in 16 counties. The procurement seeks a comprehensive digital curriculum aligned with South Carolina content standards and approved by the SC State Board of Education, covering grades 9-12 and adult education, including adult basic education, career and technical education, tutorials, and responsive assistance. The solicitation number is 5400025365, issued on May 17, 2022, with Myrtle K. deWerdt serving as the procurement officer. Responses must be submitted to the SC Department of Corrections Purchasing Branch by June 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., either physically at 4530 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210, or electronically to bidsubmissions@doc.sc.gov. The initial contract term will run from June 2, 2023, through June 1, 2024, with four potential automatic one-year renewals, enabling a total potential contract duration of five years through June 1, 2028.

The procurement appears to be a direct sole source award to the incumbent vendor, Apex Learning, who was previously awarded this contract through competitive bidding on November 6, 2019. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations are mentioned in the documentation. The sole source justification is based on Apex Learning's existing alignment with state standards and the operational integration already established within the correctional education system. Protests regarding the procurement must be submitted within specific timeframes: a notice of intent to protest within five business days of the notice posting date, and the actual protest within fifteen days, addressed to the Chief Procurement Officer at the Materials Management Office. While no specific budget range is detailed, the scope suggests a comprehensive digital curriculum serving an unlimited incarcerated population across multiple educational domains, indicating a potentially significant contract value.