SCC Student Payment Services

The State Fiscal Accountability Authority (SFAA) on behalf of Spartanburg Community College (SCC) in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for comprehensive Student Payment Services, including an integrated merchant services and payment processing system. The college seeks a vendor to provide secure, reliable, and cost-effective payment processing across multiple channels (online, in-person, and mobile) that supports various payment methods including credit/debit cards, ACH transfers, mobile payments (Apple Pay and Google Pay), and e-checks, with full integration into SCC's existing Ellucian Colleague ERP system. Key deliverables include software installation and implementation, data migration, user training for both technical staff and end users, comprehensive technical support, and ongoing maintenance services. The solution must support declining balance card systems, print management integration, bookstore and retail operations, cosmetology program sales, and ID card printing, while maintaining compliance with PCI-DSS, GLB, ADA, PCI, and NACHA standards. Required qualifications include demonstrated installation at other higher education institutions, Azure SAML single sign-on authentication capabilities, PCI-compliant POS terminals, comprehensive backup and disaster recovery procedures, and detailed security protocols addressing data at rest and in transit. The non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for March 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. via Microsoft Teams; questions must be submitted by March 27, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.; proposals are due May 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.; vendor demonstrations are anticipated for the week of June 22, 2026 (limited to two hours per vendor); and award notification is scheduled for July 29, 2026, with contract commencement on August 10, 2026. The initial contract term is one year with four optional one-year renewals for a maximum five-year period, with vendor responses required to include itemized pricing for all modules and functionality that remains valid throughout the entire contract term.

The solicitation documents do not specify set-asides or restrictions designating preference for disadvantaged enterprises or particular organizational types, indicating this is an open competitive procurement. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the available documentation. The college's existing infrastructure requires full integration with the Ellucian Colleague ERP system, which serves as the central platform for real-time student account updates, transaction confirmations, and receipt generation. Based on SCC's historical payment activity of over $3 million in annual payments with approximately 7,418 transactions and $7.19 million in student refunds, the contract represents significant transaction volume requiring robust processing capabilities. Contractor liability insurance requirements include Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and Information Security/Privacy coverage of $5,000,000 per claim with $10,000,000 aggregate limits. While specific budget ranges are not disclosed in the solicitation, vendors must provide total fixed prices for each contract year individually and a grand total for the five-year potential term, including detailed cost breakdowns for implementation, migration, testing, annual maintenance, support services, training, and hourly rates for additional services, with applicable sales tax added for non-governmental entity offers during the lowest-offer evaluation process.