9280-26-R-RFIN-00016

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has issued a Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase for high-resolution satellite imagery services, specifically targeting the Pensacola and Perdido Bay Estuary Program (PPBEP). The procurement involves acquiring aerial and satellite images of project boundaries encompassing nearshore estuarine and marine aquatic ecosystems, with precise imagery requirements including Maxar WorldView 3 or Legion 1-6 high-resolution satellite image data for Perdido Bay and Pensacola Bay sites. USM has designated L3 Harris Technologies as the sole provider capable of meeting these specialized project requirements, citing their exclusive reseller status for Vantor products and their satellite constellation with archival imagery access. The procurement is identified by RFx number 3150006612, with a critical deadline for comments and objections set for December 1, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. Central Time. Interested parties must submit written objections to Jacob Cochran, Director of Procurement & Contracts, via email to bids@usm.edu with the subject line "Sole Source Objection USM SSP 26_013".

The procurement appears to be unrestricted, with no specific set-aside designations or enterprise restrictions mentioned in the documentation. L3 Harris Technologies is positioned as the exclusive vendor for this procurement, having been determined by USM to offer the most competitive pricing when multiple services are requested. If valid objections are submitted, USM may withdraw the sole source designation and convert the procurement to a competitive bid process. Should no successful challenges emerge, USM will potentially proceed with a direct award to L3 Harris Technologies. In the event that USM cannot substantiate the sole source justification, they will appeal to the Public Procurement Review Board, bearing the burden of proving the necessity of sole source procurement. While specific award values are not disclosed, the procurement involves specialized satellite imagery services for environmental ecosystem mapping and research purposes.