Scsu student bookstore operations

South Carolina State University (SCSU) is conducting a procurement for comprehensive student bookstore operations through the State Fiscal Accountability Authority's Division of Procurement Services. The Request for Proposal seeks a contractor to manage a full-range, graduate-level academic bookstore providing textbooks (new, used, digital, and rental), trade books, supplies, university merchandise, and miscellaneous items, including a proposed new Stadium Store at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. The procurement requires the selected vendor to furnish all financial resources, management, labor, equipment, goods, and supplies necessary for bookstore operations. Key evaluation factors include vendor qualifications, relevant bookstore experience in the education market, financial proposal, management approach, marketing strategy, and operational concept. Critical procurement dates include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference on July 11, 2019, at 1:00 p.m., questions deadline of July 12, 2019, at 3:00 p.m., and proposal submission deadline of August 5, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. The contract will have an initial five-year term from December 2, 2019, to December 1, 2024, with two optional one-year renewal periods, potentially extending the contract to seven years.

The solicitation does not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The current 7,414-square-foot bookstore has historical gross sales ranging from approximately $1.3 million to $1.9 million annually, with the new contract offering a commission-based compensation structure of fourteen percent on sales up to $2.5 million and sixteen percent on sales exceeding $2.5 million. The contractor must guarantee a minimum of ninety percent of the prior year's sales and provide annual scholarships of $10,000 for general scholarships and $2,000 for book scholarships. Additional requirements include maintaining specified operating hours, accepting multiple payment methods, and integrating with the University's Banner financial aid system. The contractor must also propose capital investment for the Stadium Store design, construction, equipment, and installation, as well as annual reserve funds for refurbishments. While the solicitation does not mention a specific incumbent vendor, the multiple award extension documents suggest there is an existing bookstore operator who has been managing the facility through previous contract extensions.