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- Attached to
- 9280-26-R-RFIN-00030
- Solicitation number
- 3150006877
- Issued by
- Hancock County, Mississippi
About this file
This is a Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase filed by the University of Southern Mississippi with the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration for individual academic licenses of MATLAB software and associated toolboxes, including Simulink and discipline-specific toolboxes, to be purchased through The MathWorks, Inc. The licenses are intended for use by named faculty, staff, and researchers across multiple departments for teaching and research purposes. The University of Southern Mississippi is soliciting comments and objections to this sole source designation in accordance with Section 31-7-13(C) of the Mississippi Code, with a deadline of 8:00 a.m. Central Time on July 6, 2026. The procurement is identified with RFx number 3150006877, and the notice was published on June 11, 2026 and June 18, 2026. Objections must be submitted in writing to Jacob Cochran, Director of Procurement & Contracts, and must include detailed explanation and supporting documentation justifying why the commodity is not sole source and can be provided by another entity.
The University of Southern Mississippi justifies the sole source procurement by stating that The MathWorks, Inc. confirmed MATLAB software and license maintenance are sold exclusively through MathWorks with no third-party resellers or alternative sales channels available. The quoted price reflects academic institutional pricing, confirmed as the lowest available tier and most cost-effective license structure for the named users involved and consistent with pricing at peer institutions. MATLAB is designated as the industry-standard platform for technical computing at USM, with Simulink available exclusively through MathWorks and required for Model-Based Design applications. Active courses and ongoing research projects are built specifically around MATLAB and its toolboxes with no functionally equivalent alternatives available. If USM determines after reviewing submitted objections that the commodity can be provided by another entity, the procurement will be withdrawn and converted to a competitive bid process; if sole source is upheld, USM will appeal to the Public Procurement Review Board, bearing the burden of proof that only one source can provide the required commodity.
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| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| SSP 26_028 MATLAB.pdf |
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USM SSP 26_028 Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase of Matlab.
http://www.ms.gov/dfa/contract_bid_search/Bid
RFx: 3150006877
Comments/objections will be received as required per Section 31-7-13 (C) of the Mississippi Code until
8:00 a.m. (Central Time) on July 6, 2026.
Any person or entity that objects and proposes that the commodity listed is not sole source and can be provided by another person or entity shall submit a written notice to:
Jacob Cochran
Director of Procurement & Contracts 118 College Dr. Box 5003 Hattiesburg, MS 39406 bids@usm.edu
Phone: 601-266-4131
Subject Line must read "Sole Source Objection USM SSP 26_028"
The notice shall contain a detailed explanation of why the commodity is not a sole source procurement.
Appropriate documentation shall also be submitted if applicable.
If after a review of the submitted notice and documents, USM determines that the commodity in the proposed sole source request can be provided by another person or entity, then USM will withdraw the sole source request publication from the procurement portal website and submit the procurement of the commodity to an advertised competitive bid or selection process.
If USM determines after review that there is only one (1) source for the required commodity, then USM will appeal to the Public Procurement Review Board. USM will have the burden of proving that the commodity is only provided by one (1) source.
Run Dates: 6/11, 6/18
The University of Southern Mississippi
Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase
SSP 26_028
The University of Southern Mississippi anticipates purchasing the item(s) listed below as a sole source purchase. Anyone objecting to this purchase shall follow the procedures outlined below.
1. Description of the commodity that USM is seeking to procure: Individual Academic licenses for MATLAB and associated toolboxes, including Simulink and various discipline-specific toolboxes, purchased through The MathWorks, Inc. The licenses are for use by named faculty, staff, and researchers across multiple departments at the University of Southern Mississippi for teaching and research purposes.
2. What efforts were made to determine that the proposed provider is the only entity that can provide the commodity needed? The MathWorks, Inc. was contacted directly to confirm their sales policy. MathWorks confirmed that MATLAB software and license maintenance are sold exclusively through MathWorks and that no third-party resellers or alternative sales channels exist through which these licenses can be purchased.
3. What efforts were made to ensure the best possible price for the commodity was obtained? A formal quote was requested directly from MathWorks. The pricing provided reflects the academic discount for which USM qualifies as a degree-granting institution.
Academic pricing represents the lowest available tier for individual licenses and was confirmed by MathWorks as the best available pricing for USM’s license category.
4. Why is the commodity the only one that can meet the needs of the Agency? MATLAB is the industry-standard platform for technical computing used across USM’s mathematics, science, engineering, and research departments. It is the only software that enables cross-departmental collaboration on both teaching and research projects at USM. Simulink, available exclusively through MathWorks, is required for Model-Based Design of dynamic and embedded systems.
Active courses and ongoing research projects are built specifically around MATLAB and its toolboxes, for which no functionally equivalent alternative exists.
5. Why is the amount expended for the commodity reasonable? MathWorks is a commercial software company that provides a significant academic discount for which USM qualifies. The quoted price reflects academic individual annual license pricing - the most cost-effective license structure available for the named users involved. MathWorks has confirmed that this represents the best available pricing for USM’s institution type and license category, and the cost is consistent with pricing provided to peer institutions purchasing under the same academic license terms.
The University of Southern Mississippi
Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase
SSP 26_028
Advertisement Schedule Date
1st scheduled 06/11/2026
2nd scheduled 06/18/2026
Any person or entity that objects and proposes that the commodity listed is not sole source and can be provided by another person or entity shall submit a written notice by July 6, 2026, 8:00 AM CST, to:
Jacob Cochran
Director of Procurement & Contracts
Jacob.Cochran@usm.edu
Subject Line must read "Sole Source Objection 26_XXX"
The notice shall contain a detailed explanation of why the commodity is not a sole source procurement. Appropriate documentation shall also be submitted if applicable.
If after a review of the submitted notice and documents, USM determines that the commodity in the proposed sole source request can be provided by another person or entity, then USM will withdraw the sole source request publication from the procurement portal website and submit the procurement of the commodity to an advertised competitive bid or selection process.
If USM determines after review that there is only one (1) source for the required commodity, then
USM will appeal to the Public Procurement Review Board. USM will have the burden of proving that the commodity is only provided by one (1) source.
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