RFP 26-32 Hattiesburg Campus Student Housing Study/Student Housing Needs Assessment

Location:	Mississippi
Posted:	Mar 27, 2026
Due:	Apr 16, 2026
Agency:	State Government of Mississippi
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	B - Special Studies and Analyses - Not R&D
Solicitation No:	9280-26-R-IFBD-00041
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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THIS IS NOT

AN ORDER

REQUEST FOR BIDS/PROPOSALS COVERSHEET

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

Procurement and Contract Services

118 College Drive #5003, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0001

Date: March 27, 2026

Name: ____________________________________

Company: _________________________________

Address: __________________________________

City/State/Zip:______________________________

TERMS - Bidder should state terms of sale. Our terms are 2% ten days, net 45 days.

These terms will apply per Mississippi law.

AWARDING CONTRACT - Cash terms will not be used as a basis for awarding

contracts; however, the University will accept cash discounts when earned.

RFP No. 26-32

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI is considering

the purchase of the following item(s). We ask that you submit your

bid and retain one copy for your files. Right is reserved to accept or

reject any part of your bid. Your quotation will be given

consideration if received in Bond Hall, Room 214 on or before:

2:00 p.m. CST

April 16, 2026

Buyer: Deidre Edwards

ITEM

QUANTITY

UNIT PRICE

TOTAL NET PRICE

DESCRIPTION

RFP 26-32

Hattiesburg Campus Student Housing

Study/Student Housing Needs Assessment

PROPOSAL MUST BE RETURNED TO THE UNIVERSITY IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS. RFP NUMBER AND

DATE OF BID OPENING MUST BE SHOWN ON THE OUTSIDE OF

THE ENVELOPE IF USING THAT METHOD.

We quote you as above-F.O.B. The University of Southern Mississippi. Shipment can be made in

days from receipt of

order. DATE ______________ TERMS _____________________________________________

Return quotation to Procurement Services at above address.

AA/EOE/ADAI

Signature Required__________________________________________

The University of Southern Mississippi

Request for Proposals # 26-32

Hattiesburg Campus Student Housing Study/Student Housing Needs

Assessment

1. Introduction

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Hattiesburg Campus is seeking responses to a

Request for Proposals (RFP) from student housing advisors and consultants to create a housing

study/Student housing needs assessment for the future of housing at The University of

Southern Mississippi. This will include examining both the on-campus inventory and the off-

campus housing market.

2. USM Housing and Residence Life Background

USN Housing and Residence Life offers a home for more than 3,500 students to live, learn,

grow, and connect while making the most of their collegiate experience. The department’s

mission is to provide a high quality physical, social, and cultural environment that encourages

and supports the holistic development of the residential student and the virtual student at

home. With students living in 12 residence halls, 10 sorority houses, 10 fraternity houses, 1

apartment complex, and dedicated Living-Learning environments, we are committed to

providing a variety of housing opportunities to meet students' needs throughout their time at

Southern Miss. For future planning, USM is nearing completion of its master planning process,

and this information will be made available to the winning vendor. Additionally, building

assessments have been done on several of the residence halls, and those assessments will be

shared with the winning vendor.

3. Scope of Work

Project Initiation: SUCCESSFUL VENDOR will conduct administrator interviews to better

understand the existing context within which the planning effort will take place. The session is

intended to outline the University’s culture, mission, and vision as they relate to on-campus

housing and serve as a foundation from which the Plan’s analyses will be performed and

recommendations made.

Competitive Context Analysis (6 – 8 Institutions): SUCCESSFUL VENDOR will utilize lessons

learned at comparable institutions regionally and nationally, as well as web searches, third-

party reports, and phone interviews, to inform the Plan’s final recommendations and provide

context for future decisions by USM leadership. This peer benchmarking analysis will compare

and synthesize the housing system offerings, costs, and other related indicators at targeted

peer institutions.

Student Focus Groups (4 – 6 Sessions): SUCCESSFUL VENDOR will conduct focus groups with a

cross-section of the student body to understand the general sentiment about housing at USM

from a diversity of perspectives. The findings will be used to evaluate preferences, amenity

expectations, costs, and other critical issues, as well as to help inform the survey instrument

development. Additionally, the focus groups are intended to help qualitatively assess and

characterize the housing offerings that are available in the off-campus market.

Off-campus Market Analysis: The off‐campus market analysis will include both primary and

secondary research to understand market conditions, including local off‐campus offerings,

trends, and future plans for development. The information will be used to inform the Plan’s

findings and ultimate recommendations. The tool will be constructed in a way that allows the

Department to regularly refresh the data after the planning effort is completed.

Survey Implementation and Analysis: SUCCESSFUL VENDOR will work with USM HRL to

develop and implement an Internet-based survey to better understand students’ current

patterns and future preferences related to housing. This process will provide SUCCESSFUL

VENDOR with enhanced clarity of the target market’s decision-making process when it comes

to housing, specifically with regard to the relative importance of facility configuration and

available amenities. The results of this process will help inform the Department’s future plans

for how funds are allocated in an effort to elevate the overall housing experience on campus.

Recommendations, Socialization, and Documentation: SUCCESSFUL VENDOR will prepare and

deliver a final presentation to the University’s key stakeholders that is intended to summarize

the results of the planning process and clearly define required next steps. SUCCESSFUL VENDOR

will also develop a briefing memorandum, outlining findings and recommendations from the

planning effort. SUCCESSFUL VENDOR’s documentation will provide a written narrative of the

planning effort, helping to memorialize the process and support the broad circulation of its

recommended next steps. The document will be carefully reviewed by SUCCESSFUL VENDOR’s

Quality Control Officer.

USM HRL believes it is imperative to have a needs assessment that includes the following

topics:

Student Demographics & Needs

Understand who lives in the residence and what they need.

•

Year of study (first-year vs. upper-year)

•

Domestic vs. international students

•

Accessibility needs and accommodations

•

Socioeconomic factors (affordability, financial aid impact)

Key question: Are different student groups being served with the current housing options?

Housing Capacity & Demand

Evaluate whether supply matches student demand.

•

Occupancy rates by building and room type

•

Waitlists and overflow housing

•

First-year housing guarantees

•

Retention rates of students who live on campus

Key question: Is there enough housing, and is it the right kind of housing?

Physical Facilities & Design

Assess the quality and functionality of the spaces.

•

Room types (single, double, suite, apartment-style)

•

Condition of buildings and maintenance response times

•

Accessibility and universal design

•

Study spaces, lounges, kitchens, laundry

•

Safety features (lighting, secure access, emergency systems)

Key question: Do the facilities support living, learning, and safety?

Residential Experience & Community

Look at how residence life contributes to student engagement.

•

Sense of belonging and community

•

Roommate matching and conflict resolution

•

Residence programming (social, academic, cultural)

•

Living-learning communities or themed housing

Key question: Does housing foster connection?

Academic & Wellbeing Impact

Examine outcomes related to student success.

•

Correlation with GPA, retention, and graduation rates

•

Noise levels and study environment quality

•

Mental health support and referral systems

•

Staff presence (RAs, professional staff)

Key question: How does living in residence affect student success and wellbeing?

Cost, Affordability & Value

Analyze financial aspects from the student perspective.

•

Housing and meal plan costs

•

Cost comparison with off-campus housing

•

Perceived value for money

•

Financial transparency and flexibility

Key question: Is on-campus housing affordable and worth the cost?

Policies & Student Conduct

Review how rules affect residential life.

•

Guest and visitation policies

•

Quiet hours and enforcement

•

Alcohol and substance policies

•

Equity and bias response processes

Key question: Are policies fair, clear, and consistently applied?

Accessibility

ADA compliance and accommodations

Assessment Methods & Data Sources

Use multiple ways to gather information.

•

Student surveys and focus groups

•

Incident and maintenance data

•

Benchmarking against peer institutions

•

Retention and satisfaction metrics

•

Feedback from residence staff

Key question: Are you using both quantitative and qualitative data?

4. Fee Proposal

The fees for furnishing services shall be based on the fee schedule proposed in Exhibit A.

5. Project Schedule

The proposed project timeline will be outlined in Exhibit B.

6. Point of Contact

For questions, contact the Buyer listed on the Bid Coversheet at:

bids@usm.edu

7. Submission Instructions to Bidders

One (1) signed original, two (2) copies, and one (1) portable virus/malware-free electronic

version (USB jump drive) of the sealed bid response (if an electronic copy is not included, USM

reserves the right to request an electronic copy of the exact bid response prior to review of the

bid), subject to the conditions made a part hereof, will be received by 2:00 PM CDT on

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

Smart Number	9280-26-R-IFBD-00041	Advertised Date	03/27/2026 12:00 AM
RFx #	3160007978	Submission Date	04/16/2026 2:00 PM
RFx Status	Open	Major Procurement Category	PERSONNEL SERVICES NON-IT
RFx Opening Date	04/16/2026 2:00 PM	Sub Procurement Category	PERSONNEL SERVICE - NON-TECHNOLOGY
RFx Type	Invitation for Bid
Agency	UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
RFx Description	Sealed proposals will be received in the Office of the Director of Procurement Services, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5003, Bond Hall, Room 214, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, until Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. for the future of housing at The University of Southern Mississippi. This will include examining both the on-campus inventory and the offcampus housing market.

Name	Deidre Edwards	Email
Phone		Fax

PRODUCT CATEGORY	PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
91863	Serv ConsultHousing

RFP 26-32 Hattiesburg Campus Student Housing Study/Student Housing Needs Assessment

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