Innovative, elevated play-based learning through engaging indoor/outdoor STEAM early learning...

Location:	Mississippi
Posted:	Jun 26, 2026
Due:	Jul 10, 2026
Agency:	Mississippi State University
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	J - Maintenance, Repair, and Rebuilding of Equipment
Solicitation No:	SSN 256-114
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Mississippi State University

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase

Mississippi State University anticipates purchasing the item(s) listed below as a

sole source purchase. Anyone objecting to this purchase shall follow the

procedures outlined below.

1. Commodity or commodities to be purchased (make, model, description):

Innovative, elevated play-based learning through engaging indoor/outdoor STEAM early

learning materials, including a mobile magnetic wall

with magnetic building materials, a weaving wall, a ball holder, interactive water pump.

Units

Item

Kodo Outdoors

Comprehensive Set, Kodo

Outdoors Comprehensive

Set – Kodo Kids

Kodo Outdoors Basic Set,

Kodo Outdoors Basic Set –

Kodo Kids

Weaving Wall, Weaving

Wall for Artistic Play - Kodo

Kids

Ball Holder, Ball Holder –

Kodo Kids

Magnet Wall Walls Pack,

Magnet Wall Walls Pack –

Kodo Kids

Magnet Wall Aqua Circuits

Pack, Magnet Wall Aqua

Circuits Pack – Kodo Kids

Description

A complete outdoor learning kit featuring Kodo’s exclusive

Funnel Stand, Balance, Ramps, and Storage Center,

designed to promote scientific thinking, problem-solving,

creativity, collaboration, and active learning through

hands-on exploration.

The Kodo Outdoors Basic Kit supports outdoor sensory,

math, and science exploration through hands-on

experiences that encourage physical activity, problem-

solving, and creative play.

A collaborative weaving wall that promotes creativity,

patterning, coordination, communication, and teamwork

through large-scale, hands-on art experiences.

The Ball Holder enhances construction and magnet wall

areas by providing an engaging way to display and

organize materials, encouraging exploration, creativity,

and interactive play.

This set of four additional Magnet Wall panels expands

play possibilities by allowing children to create deflectors,

barriers, platforms, and other structures that support

creativity, problem-solving, and engineering exploration.

This water pathway set encourages hands-on STEM

learning by allowing children to design and operate their

own water systems, promoting problem-solving,

experimentation, and engineering skills through

interactive outdoor play.

Magnet Wall Water Pack, Designed for the Outdoor Magnet Wall, this pack includes

Magnet Wall Water Pack – tubing, funnels, cups, and rings for extensive exploration

Kodo Kids

of play with water, sand, slurry, and more!

Magnet Wall Chutes and The Magnet Wall Chutes & Tubes Pack includes a

Tubes Pack, Magnet Wall redirector, funnel with ring, two tubes, and an elbow

Chutes and Tubes Pack – piece to explore how a path can be redirected on your

Kodo Kids

Magnet Wall.

Pump Works, Kodo Kids

This interactive water pump promotes sensory

Water Pump Works | Water exploration, cause-and-effect learning, and scientific

Experiments for Kids

discovery as children actively pump water and observe the

results of their actions.

Outdoor Mobile Magnet The Outdoor Mobile Magnet Wall encourages hands-on

Wall, Outdoor Mobile

exploration of STEM concepts such as gravity, momentum,

Magnet Wall – Kodo Kids and slope through interactive experimentation. Its

durable, mobile design supports collaborative learning and

active outdoor play for children of all ages.

2. Explanation of the need to be fulfilled by this item(s), how is it unique from all other

options, and why it is the only one that can meet the specific needs of the department:

The requested Kodo Kids materials are needed to support the MSU Extension MS LIFT Resource

& Referral site’s outdoor learning environment and to extend high-quality early childhood

instruction. These materials will be used to model and demonstrate developmentally

appropriate outdoor play experiences for family child care providers, center-based staff, and

caregivers participating in training, coaching, and lending library services. The goal is to

strengthen provider capacity to implement intentional, play-based learning in outdoor

environments that support school readiness.

Kodo Kids materials are uniquely designed for open-ended, inquiry-based exploration that

naturally extends indoor learning concepts into outdoor environments. They support children’s

development across multiple domains, including problem-solving, STEAM thinking, social-

emotional skills, language development, and physical coordination. Their durability, versatility,

and intentional design make them particularly well-suited for outdoor use in demonstration

settings where materials must withstand frequent handling and varied environmental

conditions.

These products are uniquely designed and manufactured by Kodo Kids and are not comparable

to standard outdoor classroom materials available from other vendors. Kodo Kids uses

commercial-grade solid wood, weather-resistant construction, and corrosion-resistant

hardware designed to withstand long-term outdoor use, unlike many competitors that rely on

plastic, composite materials, or thinner wood products with shorter lifespans.

A key feature of Kodo Kids products is their mobility. Many components include locking casters,

allowing educators to easily move and reconfigure learning environments while maintaining

safety and stability. The products are specifically designed for outdoor learning and promote

collaborative play, child-led exploration, problem-solving, and STEM learning through hands-on

experiences.

The combination of durable outdoor construction, mobile design, and an integrated

educational approach distinguishes Kodo Kids from comparable products and makes them the

only source capable of providing the specific learning experiences required for this project.

These products are distinct from other commercially available outdoor or classroom materials

due to their proprietary design and integrated learning system, which promotes cohesive, child-

led exploration across learning domains. Comparable products do not provide the same

combination of durability, educational intentionality, and flexibility required to effectively

model high-quality outdoor learning practices across a diverse provider network.

3. Name of company/individual selling the item and why that source is the only possible

source that can provide the required item(s):

The requested items will be purchased from Kodo Kids, the original manufacturer and exclusive

distributor of these proprietary materials. These products are only available directly through

Kodo Kids, with no authorized resellers or equivalent alternatives on the market. Because the

materials are uniquely designed and produced under their proprietary system for early

childhood learning, no equivalent product will meet programmatic needs.

4. Estimated cost of item(s) and an explanation why the amount to be expended is

considered reasonable:

The estimated amount is $34,263.04. This amount is considered reasonable based on a

review of comparable early childhood outdoor learning materials from other vendors, which

generally fall within a similar or higher price range when considering durability, educational

design, and intended use in training and lending library environments.

Kodo Kids materials are high-quality, proprietary learning tools designed for repeated use in

professional development, demonstration, and outdoor learning extension activities. The cost

reflects their durability, multi-use functionality, and alignment with early childhood best

practices. In addition, the department reviewed available bundle options and selected the most

cost-effective combination of items necessary to meet program goals while remaining within

budget guidelines.

5. Explanation of the efforts taken by the department to determine this is the only source

and the efforts used to obtain the best possible price:

The department conducted market research by reviewing comparable early childhood outdoor

learning materials from other vendors and confirming availability through catalogs, vendor

websites, and prior purchasing records. This review determined that Kodo Kids is the only

source offering the specific proprietary materials required for the program’s outdoor

demonstration and lending library needs.

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:

Jennifer Mayfield, CPPO

Director of Procurement Services, Chief Procurement Officer

jmayfield@procurement.msstate.edu

Subject Line must read “Sole Source Objection”

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, MSU determines that the commodity

in the proposed sole source request can be provided by another person or entity, then MSU 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 MSU determines after review that there is only one (1) source for the required commodity,

then MSU will appeal to the Public Procurement Review Board. MSU will have the burden of

proving that the commodity is only provided by one (1) source.

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Innovative, elevated play-based learning through engaging indoor/outdoor STEAM early learning materials, including a mobile magnetic wall.

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See also