Notice End Date: May 4, 2026

Vendor Name: AES

Contract Amount: 57570.26

Agency Procurement Manager: Rodney K Stanford

Agency Procurement Manager Email: stanfo2@clemson.edu

Agency Procurement Manager Telephone#: 8646568596

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:

Clemson University requires a study abroad program for students in the National Scholars Program (NSP) that operates between May 25 and June 27, 2026, and includes a fully developed, structured internship component with comprehensive pre-placement, placement, supervision, and evaluation services. These requirements include conducting pre-departure student interviews; matching students with placements aligned to their skills, academic background, and interests; coordinating interviews with vetted host organizations; ensuring each host company is properly evaluated for legitimacy, project quality, and supervisory capability; preparing and supporting on-site supervisors to provide meaningful project work, mentorship, and performance evaluation; facilitating pre-arrival communication between students and supervisors; maintaining continuous oversight through regular contact with both students and supervisors; tracking attendance and reporting issues; conducting mid-term evaluations; coordinating with Clemson University on any concerns; and delivering final evaluations and grade reports. In addition, the program must provide established in-country infrastructure to support student health, safety, and well-being, including vetted host organizations, ongoing local support, and the ability to respond promptly to student issues or emergencies. These elements must be delivered as an integrated, end-to-end program within the specified timeframe and geographic context. Market research indicates that AES, Experiential Learning and Living is the only provider that offers a program capable of meeting all of these requirements in a single, cohesive structure while also maintaining the level of oversight, coordination, and student safety required by the University. For this reason, supplier AES, Experiential Learning and Living is a sole source.

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