diff --git a/documentation/esapi4java-core-2.7.1.0-RC1-release-notes.txt b/documentation/esapi4java-core-2.7.1.0-RC1-release-notes.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a08f975e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/documentation/esapi4java-core-2.7.1.0-RC1-release-notes.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+Release notes for ESAPI 2.7.1.0-RC1
+    Release date: 2025-30-09
+    Project leaders:
+        -Kevin W. Wall <kevin.w.wall@gmail.com>
+        -Matt Seil <matt.seil@owasp.org>
+
+Previous release: ESAPI 2.7.0.0, 2025-25-06
+
+
+Executive Summary: Important Things to Note for this Release
+------------------------------------------------------------
+This Release Candidate is being used to verify the migration to OSSRH artifact hosting as a part of GitHub issue#891.
+
+This version contains no significant behavioral updates from the 2.7.0.0 release.  
+Keep an eye out for the formal 2.7.0.1 release planned before the end of 2025
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index f0bc96e7b..a3352ae67 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <groupId>org.owasp.esapi</groupId>
     <artifactId>esapi</artifactId>
-    <version>2.7.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>2.7.0.1-RC1</version>
     <packaging>jar</packaging>
 
     <distributionManagement>
diff --git a/scripts/vars.2.7.1.0-RC1 b/scripts/vars.2.7.1.0-RC1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f96a7342b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/vars.2.7.1.0-RC1
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Do NOT edit this file directly. It will be created by the new createVarsFile.sh script,
+# which should be run prior to the newReleaseNotes.sh script.
+
+# ESAPI (new / current) version
+VERSION=2.7.1.0-RC1
+
+# Previous ESAPI version
+PREV_VERSION=2.7.0.0
+
+# Release date of current version in yyyy-mm-dd format
+YYYY_MM_DD_RELEASE_DATE=2025-30-09
+
+# Previous ESAPI release date in same format
+PREV_RELEASE_DATE=2025-25-06