Payment Processing System

The Citadel is seeking a vendor to provide a comprehensive payment processing system that includes a payment gateway, One Card functionality, and point-of-sale (POS) solutions to handle tuition payments, debit and credit card transactions at POS terminals, and transactions using the College’s One Card ID. The solicitation, identified as RFP 27001-JD, was posted on July 8, 2026, with proposals due by August 6, 2026, and is managed by James P. de Luca, CPPO, through the Office of Procurement Services in Charleston, South Carolina. The contract is classified under NAICS code 238290 and is considered a state and local government (SLED) procurement. Performance is expected to occur entirely within South Carolina, with the primary location being The Citadel campus. The contract term is estimated to begin in mid-2026 and extend through mid-2031, though exact dates are contingent upon award timing. The State’s obligation to pay is explicitly contingent upon funding availability, and no fixed contract value is provided due to the absence of completed pricing data. Evaluation of proposals will be conducted on a trade-off basis, prioritizing technical solution and functionality, with price as a significant but not sole determinant, and award will go to the most advantageous offeror based on overall value. Proposals must be submitted in sealed physical and electronic formats via USB drive, including detailed descriptions of the proposed system, insurer policy summaries, manufacturer specifications, and completed checklists from Appendices A through D, which cover tax withholding affidavits, vendor certifications, legal notices, and technical specifications. Offerors are required to disclose any organizational conflicts of interest, prior work related to the system, and affiliations that could create an unfair competitive advantage, with failure to disclose potentially disqualifying a bid. Key personnel must be identified, and any subcontractors performing more than 10% of the work or handling critical functions must be named and evaluated. The system must comply with applicable state and local regulations and integrate seamlessly with The Citadel’s existing infrastructure. All submissions must be free of passwords and in readily accessible formats, with no facsimile or email acceptance permitted. Final acceptance occurs at the delivery location upon successful demonstration of system functionality and compliance with quality standards, and the contractor must ensure all equipment is new and installed without disruption to campus operations. The contract includes internal clause references covering contract term, changes, definitions, and fund availability, though standard FAR clauses are not