9280-26-R-RFQI-00009

The University of Southern Mississippi, through the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, is conducting a sole source procurement (SSP 26-025, RFQI 9280-26-R-RFQI-00009) for a specialized closed-system photobioreactor system manufactured exclusively by PureBiomass, Inc. The procurement is open to qualified vendors and is being conducted by Jasper County, Mississippi. The equipment being procured is a fully integrated photobioreactor platform designed for biosecure algal cultivation to support oyster hatchery operations and applied research within the newly constructed Oyster Hatchery and Research Center (OHRC) Algal Facility. The system includes multi-stage cultivation capacity at three scales (25 L, 250 L, and 1,350 L), featuring gamma-irradiated sterile single-use culture vessels, dimmable LED lighting arrays, automated environmental control systems with Wi-Fi-enabled remote monitoring, sterile filtration, fluid and air handling systems, structural support frames, and NEMA-4 rated control enclosures. The photobioreactor system will support continuous algal culture from laboratory-scale through production-scale volumes, with algae serving as the primary feed source for larval and juvenile oysters and for conditioning broodstock oysters. The procurement was advertised on April 26 and May 3, 2026, and written objections to the sole source designation must be submitted by 2:00 p.m. Central Time on May 14, 2026, to Millissa Weaver at 103 McIlwain Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564. Any objections must include a detailed explanation of why the commodity is not a sole source procurement and supporting documentation demonstrating that another entity can provide equivalent equipment; if valid objections with supporting evidence are received, USM will withdraw the sole source publication and proceed with an advertised competitive bid or selection process.

This procurement is designated as a sole source purchase with no apparent set-asides or restrictions limiting the types of organizations that can respond, though the justification emphasizes that only PureBiomass, Inc. manufactures equipment with the proprietary sterile bag reactor technology and integrated platform design required to meet USM's specific operational and facility needs. The procuring agency has determined that no other manufacturer produces equipment interoperable with the existing PureBiomass systems currently operated by USM that will be relocated into the new facility, and that the narrow, vertical footprint of the 1,350 L reactor is specifically engineered to fit within the spatial constraints of the OHRC Algal Facility as currently designed. The contract award is anticipated to be made exclusively to PureBiomass, Inc., located at 441 Saxony Road, Encinitas, California 92024, pending resolution of any objections submitted during the notice period. The total procurement value is $247,346.09, representing a fully integrated turnkey system that eliminates additional costs for facility modification or custom engineering, reduces operational risk, improves production reliability, and preserves prior investments in compatible PureBiomass infrastructure. Additional information regarding the procurement is available through the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration contract bid search portal at http://www.ms.gov/dfa/contract_bid_search/Bid.