2021 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 11 - Public Finance
Chapter 35 - South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code
Section 11-35-1810. Responsibility of bidders and offerors.

(1) Determination of Responsibility. Responsibility of the bidder or offeror shall be ascertained for each contract let by the State based upon full disclosure to the procurement officer concerning capacity to meet the terms of the contracts and based upon past record of performance for similar contracts. The board shall by regulation establish standards of responsibility that shall be enforced in all state contracts.

(2) Determination of Nonresponsibility. A written determination of nonresponsibility of a bidder or offeror shall be made in accordance with regulations promulgated by the board. The unreasonable failure of a bidder or offeror to supply information promptly in connection with an inquiry with respect to responsibility may be grounds for a determination of nonresponsibility with respect to such bidder or offeror.

(3) Right of Nondisclosure. Except as otherwise provided by law, information furnished by a bidder or offeror pursuant to this section shall not be disclosed outside of the offices of the board, the Office of the Attorney General, the using agency, or the purchasing agency without prior written consent by the bidder or offeror.

(4) Public procurement units, as defined in Section 11-35-4610, may provide information to one another relating to the responsibility or prior performance of a bidder or offeror, or provide any other information about a bidder or offeror that is otherwise related to procurement. Any person affiliated with a public procurement unit in an official capacity, who provides such information in good faith, is immune from civil and criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of his actions. In all such civil or criminal proceedings, good faith is a rebuttable presumption.

HISTORY: 1981 Act No. 148, Section 1; 1997 Act No. 153, Section 1; 2019 Act No. 41 (S.530), Section 29, eff May 13, 2019.

Editor's Note

2019 Act No. 41, Section 80, provides as follows:

"SECTION 80. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies to solicitations issued after that date."

Effect of Amendment

2019 Act No. 41, Section 29, in (3), in the second sentence, inserted "the using agency," and added (4).