CTHERM - BUSINESS JUSTIFICATION.docx
DOCX document 75 KB Posted
- Attached to
- 9280-26-R-RFIN-00029
- Solicitation number
- 3150006844
- Issued by
- Greene County, Mississippi
About this file
This is a Business Justification document submitted by the Mississippi Polymer Institute to the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) iTech Technology Procurement office supporting a sole source purchase of software for a TPS (Transient Plane Source) Anisotropy Upgrade sensor for the existing CTherm Thermal Conductivity instrument. The instrument, originally purchased as a sole source in 2024, requires ASTM D7984 compliance with a thermal conductivity measurement range of 0.01 to 500 W/mK and operational temperature capability from -50°C to 200°C. The TPS sensor is a specialty, thin, flexible sensor designed for testing thin films and coatings within layered systems. The justification document references a Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase (USM SSP 26_027) with RFx number 3150006844 and indicates that comments or objections were to be received until 8:00 a.m. as required by Section 31-7-13(C) of the Mississippi Code.
The document establishes sole source justification by demonstrating that competing vendors—including TA Instruments, Hukseflux, and KEM Kyoto Electronics—cannot meet the specified requirements. The TA Instruments FOX 50 Heat Flow Meter has a limited range of 0.1 to 10 W/mK, while the KEM Kyoto Electronics QTM-710/700 offers only 0.03 to 12 W/mK with a restrictive temperature range of 5°C to 35°C. CTherm Technology's MTPS (Modulated Transient Plane Source) sensor is the only technology capable of full ASTM D7984 conformity with the required guard ring specification and offers plug-and-play calibrations for diverse materials including liquids, powders, pastes, polymers, and composites. The software being procured controls the new TPS Sensor, which is manufactured exclusively by CTherm Technology with no alternative vendors offering equivalent hardware or software solutions.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| CTHERM - ITS SOLE SOURCE FORM (SIGNED).pdf | ||
| CTHERM - SOLE SOURCE LETTER (VENDOR).pdf | ||
| SSP 26_027 TPS ANISOTROPY UPGRADE.pdf |
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Text version
May 15, 2026
Ronnie Taylor Southern Miss - iTech Technology Procurement Specialist 118 College Drive, Box 5181 | Hattiesburg, MS 39406 (601)-266-6654 | www.usm.edu/itech
Dear Mr. Taylor.
This purchase is for the software for an additional sensor type for MPI’s CTherm Thermal Conductivity instrument. This instrument was purchased as a sole source instrument in 2024, where we required an instrument conforming to ASTM D7984 with a wide thermal conductivity range of 0.01 to 500W/mK, offering versatility and applicability across a broad spectrum of materials from aerogels and insulation/foams to metal and ceramics. ASTM D7984 specifically stats that the sensor requires a “Guard Ring” for a uni-directional heat pulse, MTPS is the only sensor that can fully conform to that ASTM standard.
We required a sensor temperature rating of -50 ºC to 200 ºC enabling to operation across a range of temperatures, accommodating diverse testing environment and materials. We needed the versatile “plug & play” calibrations to simplify testing processes for various materials, including liquids. Powders, pastes, polymers and composites. This feature was essential and enhanced efficiency and flexibility, enabling the testing of different substances with minimal setup requirements. Additionally, it uses reference materials such as Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), LAF6720, Pyroceram, Pyrex, Stainless Steel, and Copper. These materials serve as benchmarks for accurate calibration and comparison, ensuring reliable and precise measurements across different samples.
Several vendors, such as TA Instruments, Hukseflux, and KEM Kyoto Electronics, offer thermal conductivity measurement systems. However, upon evaluation, none of these vendors can fulfill the specific requirements needed for our testing. For instance, the FOX 50 Heat Flow Meter from TA Instruments has a thermal conductivity range of 0.1 W/mK to 10 W/mK, which falls short of the broader range provided by C-Therm instruments (0.01 to 500 W/mK). Similarly, the QTM-710/700 from KEM Kyoto Electronics offers a narrower range of 0.03 W/mK to 12 W/mK and a limited measurement temperature range of 5°C to 35°C. These limitations make them unsuitable for our needs, particularly in testing a wide variety of materials. Thus, it is evident that C-Therm Technology is the sole source capable of providing the required commodity, given its unmatched range, temperature capabilities, and conformity to ASTM standards.
This TPS sensor (purchased) is a specialty sensor designed to be a thin, flexible sensor which is for testing of thin films and coatings. It can be inserted into layered systems to read thermal conductivity of very specific material types. This purchase request is for the software that controls this new TPS Sensor. No other entity makes this hardware or software.
Best Regards, -Sara
Sara Bayley Lab and QC Manager Mississippi Polymer Institute 46 Shelby Thames Drive Hattiesburg, MS 39402 601-266-5046 image3.jpeg image4.jpeg image1.jpeg image2.jpeg
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