Replaces 5400028696 drone kit

The South Carolina Department of Corrections is conducting a Request for Quote (RFQ) for advanced drone technology, specifically seeking to procure 3 Autel EVO Max 4N Bundle Drone Kits for its Security Division. The solicitation requires vendors to provide 3 complete drone kits, along with 9 additional Autel Evo Max Series Flight Batteries and 1 CDC Quad Charging Case. Each drone kit bundle includes a Smart Controller V3, flight battery, 64GB SD Card, battery charger, spare propellers, and other accessories, with mandatory in-person familiarization training and system preparation. The drones feature sophisticated technical capabilities, including a 2.3MP starlight camera, 50MP wide-angle camera, and a 640x512 thermal camera, with impressive operational specifications such as a 42-minute flight time, 12.4-mile transmission range, and 720-degree obstacle avoidance. The procurement timeline indicates that the bid was issued on 09/19/2025, with vendor offers due by 09/30/2025 at 10:00 a.m. EST, and the award scheduled to be posted on 10/07/2025, with a 30-day delivery expectation after order receipt.

The solicitation includes potential vendor preferences, specifically the South Carolina Resident Vendor Preference and US/SC End-Product Preferences, which may provide advantageous considerations for qualifying vendors. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the procurement appears open to competitive bidding from qualified technology vendors specializing in advanced drone systems. The document does not provide a specific budget range or total procurement value, though vendors are expected to submit unit pricing for the requested drone technology and associated equipment. Potential respondents must demonstrate technical capability to provide the specified Autel EVO Max 4N drone systems with the comprehensive feature set and training requirements. The procurement is specifically for the Department of Corrections' Security Division, indicating a strategic investment in advanced surveillance and operational monitoring technology that requires sophisticated drone capabilities with high-performance imaging and networking technologies.