SSP 27_012 LEVEL ACCESS.pdf

USM SSP 27_012 Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase of Level Access.

http://www.ms.gov/dfa/contract_bid_search/Bid

RFx: 3150007071

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 October 29, 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:

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 27_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.

Run Dates: 10/14, 10/21

The University of Southern Mississippi

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase

SSP 27_012

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:

Through the purchase of Level Access' Uniform Digital Accessibility Platform

(UDAP) and their Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM), USM

(University of Southern Mississippi) aims to obtain comprehensive visibility of its digital assets. During Phase 1, the focus was testing to assess the level of accessibility across the 4 Subject Domains (i.e., usm.edu; lib.usm.edu;

southemmiss.com; online.usm.edu) using UDAP. With the granular information provided by the UDAP, USM will be able to remediate any accessibility issues using the automated accessibility tools created using proprietary testing technology and will be able to use the reporting capabilities contained in the

UDAP to review high level remediation recommendations and identify and review accessibility issues while also tracking all the remediation being completed. Additionally, the automated testing tools will provide code level feedback to help guide consistent accessibility applications. Meanwhile, all content contributors and developers will be trained using the platform and will have access to both the knowledgebase and the on-demand email as well as chat support to troubleshoot any remediation issues. Also, user flows will be developed using manual and functional testing performed by certified testers who are physically challenged, providing feedback on the lived accessibility challenges faced by physically challenged users. Contemporaneously, USM will be developing the structure for ongoing accessibility requirements as it follows the framework to digital accessibility maturity prescribed by the DAMM model, which benchmarks

USM's digital accessibility compared to both best practices as well as other organizations.

2. What efforts were made by the Agency to determine that the proposed provider is the only entity that can provide the commodity needed?

Multiple companies were reviewed but did not offer an integrated Digital

Accessibility Platform (UDAP), the ability to provide a Digital Accessibility

Maturity Model, provide manual testing, offer remediation tools and provide a remediation service as needed.

3. What efforts were made to ensure the best possible price for the commodity was obtained?

Extensive time and effort were expended before the start of Phase 1 to obtain quotes from various vendors who did not have comprehensive offerings.

4. Why is the commodity the only one that can meet the needs to the Agency?

Level Access is the only vendor that provides the type of comprehensive solution that USM requires: this solution provides the Uniform Digital Accessibility

Platform, automated remediation toolset, Digital Accessibility Maturity Model

(DAMM), and the benefit of over 50 years of combined experience in accessibility implementation.

5. Why is the amount expended for the commodity reasonable?

Other vendors did not have a comprehensive solution. Nevertheless, the prices being quoted by said vendors were much higher than the Level Access price.

Advertisement Schedule Date

1st scheduled 10/14/26

2nd scheduled 10/21/26

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 October 29, 2026, 8:00 AM CST, to:

Director of Procurement & Contracts bids@usm.edu

Subject Line must read "Sole Source Objection 27_012"

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.