Notice of Intent to Sole Source for Microsoft Cloud and AI Services

The South Carolina Department of Education plans to award a $5 million sole‑source contract to SHI International Corp for comprehensive Microsoft cloud and artificial‑intelligence services. The scope includes Microsoft Azure infrastructure (compute, storage, networking, security, databases, and application hosting) and the deployment of Microsoft Copilot across the Microsoft 365 suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, etc.). This procurement bypasses competitive bidding under South Carolina Code Ann. §11‑35‑1560, citing the need for specialized, integrated cloud‑AI solutions. • Services: Azure IaaS/PaaS, data storage, networking, security, database, app hosting, and Microsoft 365 Copilot AI tools. • Vendor: SHI International Corp, a recognized Microsoft solution provider. • Procurement method: Sole source, with a $5 million ceiling, managed by the Department’s procurement manager Jeff Molloy.