South Carolina Business Opportunities
Published by Division of Procurement Services - Delbert H. Singleton, Jr., Division Director
Ad Category: Sole Source and Emergency
Notice Start Date: October 15, 2024
Notice End Date: October 22, 2024
Vendor Name: TouchNet Information Systems Inc
Contract Amount: 70460
Agency Procurement Manager: Brad Byrd
Agency Procurement Manager Email: byrdg@musc.edu
Agency Procurement Manager Telephone#: (843) 985-1798
The Agency hereby provides notice that it intends to enter into a sole source contract per S.C. Code Ann. §11-35-1560 with Vendor for the following supplies, services, information technology, or construction:

In accordance with §11-35-1560 (A) of the SC Consolidated Procurement Code, it is the intent of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to award without competition, a sole source contract in accordance with Regulation 19-445.2105 (B) (5) to TouchNet Information Systems Inc for the purchase of Payment Center, eRefunds and Limited uPay solutions.

Purpose and Objectives:  These business solutions from TouchNet Solutions Inc are critical integrations for the new Student Information System (SIS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) which will go live for MUSC in early 2025.

MUSC has purchased and is currently implementing a new SIS (Anthology Student) and CRM (Anthology Reach). TouchNet Information Systems Inc provides the secure payment processing platform for student tuition & fees as well as student refunds.  MUSC currently utilize the TouchNet Payment center & eRefunds with our current SIS, Ellucian/Colleague, however this contract expires June 2025, and we will be required to move over to the TouchNet Payment Gateway. The University will be utilizing the Limited uPay connections to collect application, matriculation & seat fees as well as diploma & regalia fees.

Sole Source Justification:  TouchNet is the only eCommerce Vendor that can provide the following services which are critical for MUSC to process Student Payments while maintaining compliance with state and federal requirements:

1. We are required to have a system that is PCI compliant. The TouchNet Payment Center is the only eCommerce Payment Solution that is fully PCI DSS and Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS) Certified by the PCI Security Council

2. TouchNet provides eCommerce modules that are easily integrated with Anthology Student & Reach, including in person cashiering payments, mobile payments, payment plans, deposits, refunds, 1098Ts, eBilling, eDeposits and Payment Plans.

3. The TouchNet Payment Center is the only eCommerce system that provides Tier 1 ActionLine Support, which is 24/7/365 support. This service includes phone, web, live chat, self-service portal, and email solutions

QUESTIONS: Shall be addressed to the email address of the Procurement Officer indicated below.

PROTESTS (MAY 2019): If you are aggrieved in connection with the intended award of this contract, you may be entitled to protest, but only as provided in §11-35-4210. To protest an intended award of a contract pursuant to §11-35-1560, you shall (i) notify the chief procurement officer in writing of your intent to protest within five (5) business days of the date this intent to award is posted, and (ii) if the appropriate chief procurement officer has been timely notified of your intent to protest, you may submit your actual protest within fifteen days of the date this notice of intent to award is posted. Days are calculated as provided in §11-35-310(13). Both protests and notices of intent to protest must be in writing and must be received by the appropriate Chief Procurement Officer within the time provided. The grounds of the protest and the relief requested must be set forth with enough particularity to give notice of the issues to be decided.

Any protest or notice of intent to protest must be addressed to the Chief Procurement Officer, Materials Management Office, and submitted in writing (a) by email to: protest-mmo@mmo.sc.gov or (b) by post or delivery to: 1201 Main Street, Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29201

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Any responsible sources who wish to identify their interest and capability to provide these services must notify this Contracting Specialist at byrdg@musc.edu prior to the contact deadline: October 22nd, 2024, at 12:00 AM EST. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Upon receipt of the interested parties’ notification, the Contracting Officer will determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement or proceed with sole source negotiations.

Agency's justification for a sole source procurement may be viewed or immediately obtained at: Agency Procurement Manager (Listed Above)
PROTESTS:
Any actual or prospective bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor aggrieved in connection with the intended award or award of this sole source contract, shall notify the appropriate chief Procurement officer in writing of its intent to protest within five (5) business days of the date this notice is posted. Any actual or prospective bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor who is aggrieved in connection with the intended award or award of this sole source contract and has timely notified the appropriate chief procurement officer of its intent to protest, may protest to the appropriate chief procurement officer in the manner set forth below within fifteen days of the date this notice is posted; except that a matter that could have been raised as a protest of the solicitation may not be raised as a protest of the award or intended award of a contract.
A protest must be in writing, filed with the appropriate chief procurement officer, and set forth the grounds of the protest and the relief requested with enough particularity to give notice of the issues to be decided. The protest must be received by the appropriate chief procurement officer within the time provided above. Days are calculated as provided in S.C. Code Ann. § 11-35-310(13).

Any Notice Of Intent To Protest And Protest Must Be Addressed To: Materials Management Officer
South Carolina Business Opportunities • SCBO Team • 1201 Main Street, Suite 600 • Columbia, SC 29201
803-737-0600 • scbo@mmo.sc.gov • https://scbo.sc.gov • https://procurement.sc.gov
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