SSP 26_024 DEPARTMENT JUSTIFICATION LETTER.pdf
PDF 623 KB Posted
- Attached to
- 9280-26-R-RFQI-00008
- Solicitation number
- 3140004553
- Issued by
- Jasper County, Mississippi
About this file
This is a sole source justification letter from the University of Southern Mississippi's Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) requesting approval for a single-vendor procurement. The document justifies the acquisition of a Liqoflux LF2AL15 automated ultrafiltration and algae dewatering system for the new Oyster Hatchery and Research Center (OHRC) under construction at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Cedar Point Campus in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The Liqoflux system is a pilot-to-small-scale equipment designed to concentrate microalgae cultures and recover process water through proprietary ultrafiltration membrane technology. The procurement is justified based on the system's specialized capabilities essential to hatchery operations, including consistent production of high-quality algal feed and efficient water management that directly impact larval survival rates, biosecurity, and operational sustainability.
The justification emphasizes that no competing systems provide equivalent functionality. The Liqoflux LF2AL15 incorporates proprietary features unavailable elsewhere, including the LiqoCap ultrafiltration membrane technology engineered specifically for microalgae separation, a closed-loop water recovery and reuse system, integrated automation and real-time process controls, low-shear algae-specific processing design, modular scalability from pilot to production scale, and turnkey aquaculture application integration. USM evaluated alternative technologies including centrifugation systems, belt filters, and non-specialized membrane filtration units but determined that none provide the same integrated combination of capabilities. The document notes that alternative approaches would require multiple pieces of equipment from different vendors, resulting in increased system complexity, higher installation and maintenance costs, and greater operational risk. The justification was signed by Dr. Reginald Blaylock, Director, and Les Graham.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| USM SSP 26_024 ADVERTISEMENT.pdf | ||
| SSP 26_024 VENDOR LETTER.pdf | ||
| SSP 26_024 QUESTIONAIRE.pdf |
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THAD COCHRAN MARINE AQUACULTURE CENTER | GULF COAST RESEARCH LABORATORY
703 East Beach Drive | Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Subject: Sole Source Justification – Liqoflux Automated Ultrafiltration and Algae Dewatering System
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), through the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC), is requesting approval for the sole source procurement of the Liqoflux LF2AL15, a pilot-to-small-scale automated algae harvesting and dewatering system for the new Oyster Hatchery and Research Center (OHRC) currently under construction at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Cedar Point Campus.
The Liqoflux LF2AL15 system provides a highly specialized and integrated solution for the concentration of microalgae cultures and recovery of process water through proprietary ultrafiltration membrane technology. This capability is essential to hatchery operations, where the consistent production of high-quality algal feed and efficient water management directly impact larval survival rates, system biosecurity, and operational sustainability.
Unlike conventional harvesting technologies, the Liqoflux system incorporates several proprietary and uniquely integrated components that are not available in competing systems:
LiqoCap Ultrafiltration (UF) Membrane Technology The system utilizes a proprietary membrane configuration specifically engineered for microalgae separation. This technology enables selective retention of algal biomass while allowing clean water permeate to be recovered and reused. The membrane design minimizes shear stress and cell damage, preserving algal viability—an essential requirement for hatchery feed applications.
Closed-Loop Water Recovery and Reuse System
The LF2AL15 is designed as a closed-loop system that continuously recovers and recycles process water. The ultrafiltration system uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove suspended solids, bacteria, and viruses from water, producing high-quality filtered water. This reduces total water demand, maintains stable culture conditions, and supports biosecurity protocols by limiting the introduction of external contaminants. Comparable systems do not provide this level of integrated water reuse within a single unit.
Integrated Automation and Process Control The system includes proprietary automation controls that regulate flow rates, transmembrane pressure, and fouling management in real time. This ensures consistent performance across varying algal densities and species, while reducing operator intervention and variability. Competing technologies typically require manual adjustment or lack the level of precision required for sensitive hatchery operations.
Low-Shear, Algae-Specific Processing Design
The Liqoflux system is specifically engineered to handle fragile microalgae species used in aquaculture without causing cellular damage. Traditional alternatives such as centrifuges or dissolved air flotation systems introduce shear forces or chemical additives that can negatively impact algal quality and suitability as live feed.
Modular, Pilot-to-Production Scalability The LF2AL15 platform is designed to bridge pilot-scale research and operational production, allowing for process optimization and future scale-up using consistent technology. This continuity is critical for research-driven hatchery programs such as TCMAC.
Turnkey Integration for Aquaculture Applications
The system is delivered as a fully integrated, turnkey unit designed specifically for aquaculture hatchery environments.
This eliminates the need for custom engineering, multi-vendor integration, and associated performance risks.
USM evaluated alternative technologies including centrifugation systems, belt filters, and non-specialized membrane filtration units. While these technologies can perform partial functions of algae harvesting or dewatering, none provide the same combination of low-shear processing, integrated ultrafiltration, automated control, and closed-loop water recovery within a single system designed specifically for aquaculture applications.
Additionally, alternative approaches would require multiple pieces of equipment from different vendors, resulting in increased system complexity, higher installation and maintenance costs, and greater operational risk. No other known vendor offers a comparable, fully integrated solution with the proprietary features and aquaculture-specific performance characteristics of the Liqoflux LF2AL15.
Given the specialized nature of this system, its proprietary membrane technology, and its unique ability to meet the operational and research needs of the TCMAC Oyster Hatchery, Liqoflux is the only known source capable of providing this equipment.
For these reasons, USM requests approval to procure the Liqoflux LF2AL15 on a sole source basis.
Dr. Reginald Blaylock, Director
Les Graham Reg Blaylock_New
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