INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE - DAIKIN APPLIED

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) Purchasing Branch has issued an intent to sole source Daikin Applied for procurement of miscellaneous equipment, parts, engineering, and service related to the repair and upgrade of institutional chiller and cooling systems across all SCDC facilities. The procurement is specifically focused on proprietary control software and parts that must be precisely programmed to operate with existing Daikin equipment. This sole source procurement is being conducted for Richland County and requires vendors to submit sealed offers either by physical mail to 4420 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210, or via email to purchasing@doc.sc.gov with "SOLE SOURCE" in the subject line. The response period for protests or alternative vendor proposals closes on August 26, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., with prospective vendors required to demonstrate their capability to provide all required products and services. No pre-bid conference or site visit is scheduled, and the award will become effective after the opening date and time if no alternative responses are received. Offerors must submit a signed cover page and provide documentation authorizing their performance of the required services.

This procurement does not explicitly indicate any set-aside designations or specific restrictions on responding organizations. The sole source nature of the procurement suggests that Daikin Applied is the only vendor capable of providing the specialized cooling system services due to the proprietary nature of their control software. Vendors who believe they can perform and supply the required products and services must submit their concerns to SCDC by the specified deadline. Any aggrieved vendor may protest the intended award within five business days of the notice posting date, with a formal protest required within fifteen days of posting. The protest must be submitted in writing to the Chief Procurement Officer at the Materials Management Office. The notice is being posted in the South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO) for a minimum of ten business days as required by state regulations. While no specific award value or budget range is detailed in the documentation, the procurement covers cooling system repairs and upgrades across all SCDC institutions, suggesting a potentially significant investment in institutional infrastructure maintenance.