International Student Recruitment

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is conducting an Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) to establish a pool of qualified third-party student recruitment agencies to recruit prospective international students for academic programs and English Language Programs across its ten state universities. The procurement seeks multiple contractors capable of providing international student recruitment services on an as-needed basis, with successful selection resulting in multiple participation award contracts rather than guaranteed engagements. Contractors will be evaluated based on their ability to recruit potential international students and their capacity to serve one or multiple PASSHE universities. The key objective is to identify qualified firms and individuals capable of delivering international student recruitment services, with contract awards to be determined on a university-by-university basis according to each institution's specific needs and best value considerations. The solicitation was posted on May 7, 2026, with a due date of December 30, 2031, and interested parties must access the detailed RFP through the Ariba Network portal at https://portal.us.bn.cloud.ariba.com/dashboard/public/appext/comsapsbncdiscoveryui#/RfxEvent/preview/1110012293?anId=ANONYMOUS. Prospective respondents must register with the Ariba Network to access solicitation documents and submit responses using existing credentials or by creating a new account through the platform.

The solicitation documentation does not specify set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or preferences for particular organization types based on the information provided. No incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure integration requirements are identified in the available procurement details. Similarly, no specific award values or budget ranges are disclosed in the summary materials, with PASSHE making no guarantees regarding the number, size, or scope of engagements that may be procured under any awarded contract. Contractors should note that placement on the award list provides the ability to provide services as needed but does not guarantee that PASSHE will request their services. The final determination of which awarded contractors will be engaged is anticipated to be made on an individual university basis, allowing each institution to select the option that best meets its recruitment objectives and demonstrates optimal value to the institution.