Student Loan Default Prevention & Management Services

Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) in North Carolina is soliciting proposals through a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Student Loan Default Prevention and Management Services to support its Financial Aid Office. The procured services must include comprehensive data management and default prevention capabilities for federal student loan borrowers, encompassing proactive borrower outreach through multiple communication channels, individualized counseling regarding repayment plans and financial hardship alternatives, servicer coordination, and regular operational and performance reporting. The vendor must demonstrate the ability to access borrower data through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and other authorized federal sources while securely managing student data classified as High Risk under North Carolina's Data Classification and Handling Policy. Vendors must submit written questions by April 22, 2026, with the Agency's response and any RFP addendum issued by April 29, 2026, and proposals are due May 6, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET, with evaluation beginning May 7, 2026. Evaluation will utilize a tradeoff/ranking method considering best value, substantial conformity with RFP requirements, compliance with information technology security standards, total cost of ownership, service reliability and continuity, vendor experience and past performance with references, and identified risks and exceptions. Vendors must submit complete cost proposals including all implementation costs, recurring service fees, per-borrower or per-account fees, and outcome-based or performance-based fees, with payment terms of Net 30 days after invoice receipt. The contract structure is an indefinite quantity, agency-specific contract with an initial one-year term, expiring on the anniversary date of the effective date, with the State retaining the option to extend for four additional one-year periods at its sole discretion.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting the types of organizations eligible to respond. There are no listed incumbent vendors or current contractors identified in the procurement documentation. Vendors must comply with federal student financial aid regulations including Title IV of the Higher Education Act, FERPA, and applicable U.S. Department of Education guidance, as well as North Carolina laws and procurement requirements. Vendors providing non-State hosted solutions must submit a completed Vendor Readiness Assessment Report (VRAR) at offer submission and, upon request, a current independent third-party assessment report with FedRAMP certification, SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, or HITRUST certification preferred prior to contract award. Additionally, vendors must complete a Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit (HECVAT) prior to contract award and provide three years of audited or certified financial statements demonstrating organizational stability. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the available procurement documentation.