SSP 26_030 Collegiate Sports Connect

Location:	Mississippi
Posted:	Jul 7, 2026
Due:	Jul 17, 2026
Agency:	University of Southern Mississippi
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	V - Transportation, Travel and Relocation Services
Solicitation No:	SSP 26_030
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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USM SSP 26_030 Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase of Collegiate Sports Connect.

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

RFx: 3150006905

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 July 17, 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:

Jacob Cochran

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 26_030"

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: 7/2, 7/9

The University of Southern Mississippi

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase

SSP 26_030

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:

 The University of Southern Mississippi is seeking to procure a subscription to Collegiate

Sports Connect, a proprietary cloud-based talent acquisition and professional

networking platform designed exclusively for intercollegiate athletics. The platform

provides access to a comprehensive database of athletics administrators and coaches,

job posting and candidate management tools, industry-specific recruitment resources,

professional development content, and a nationwide network of collegiate athletics

professionals. The subscription will support the University's efforts to identify, recruit,

and retain highly qualified administrative personnel while improving the efficiency and

effectiveness of the athletics hiring process.

2. What efforts were made by the Agency to determine that the proposed provider is the

only entity that can provide the commodity needed?

The University of Southern Mississippi conducted market research to identify potential vendors

capable of providing a comprehensive talent acquisition platform specifically designed for

intercollegiate athletics administration. This review included evaluating traditional employment

platforms, executive search resources, and general recruiting software.

Through this evaluation, the University determined that Collegiate Sports Connect is the only

provider offering a proprietary platform developed exclusively for collegiate athletics

administration. Unlike general recruiting services, Collegiate Sports Connect combines a

The University of Southern Mississippi

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase

SSP 26_030

comprehensive database of athletics professionals, industry-specific candidate sourcing,

recruitment management tools, job posting capabilities, professional development resources, and

direct integration within the collegiate athletics community.

The platform was developed in partnership with leading organizations within the intercollegiate

athletics industry and serves as a centralized marketplace specifically for NCAA athletics

administrators and coaches. No other vendor was identified that provides the same combination

of proprietary data, athletics-specific functionality, and targeted access to qualified

administrative talent. As a result, the University determined that Collegiate Sports Connect is the

only source capable of meeting its specific business requirements.

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

obtained?

The University of Southern Mississippi worked directly with Collegiate Sports Connect to

negotiate pricing that would provide the greatest long-term value to the institution. Rather than

purchasing annual subscriptions at the standard yearly rate, the University negotiated a three-

year agreement that significantly reduced the overall cost of the subscription over the contract

term. This multi-year pricing structure provides substantial savings compared to renewing the

service annually while also protecting the University from future price increases during the

contract period.

The negotiated agreement represents the best value available for the required services by

reducing the total cost of ownership, providing predictable budgeting over multiple fiscal years,

and ensuring uninterrupted access to the platform at a discounted rate.

The University of Southern Mississippi

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase

SSP 26_030

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

Collegiate Sports Connect is the only commodity that meets the University's business

requirements because it is a proprietary platform developed exclusively for recruiting and hiring

within intercollegiate athletics. Unlike general recruiting platforms or employment websites,

Collegiate Sports Connect provides direct access to a nationwide network of athletics

administrators and coaches, a proprietary database of qualified candidates, athletics-specific job

posting and applicant management tools, and industry-focused professional resources.

The University's business need is to efficiently identify, recruit, and retain highly qualified

administrative talent with experience in NCAA athletics. Collegiate Sports Connect is uniquely

positioned to meet this need because its platform is purpose-built for the collegiate athletics

industry and is widely utilized by NCAA institutions and athletics professionals. No other

commercially available platform combines the same proprietary candidate network, industry-

specific recruiting functionality, and athletics-focused resources in a single solution.

As a result, Collegiate Sports Connect is the only commodity capable of fully meeting the

University's operational and strategic hiring needs for athletics administration.

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

The amount expended is reasonable based on the specialized nature of the platform and the

value it provides in recruiting qualified collegiate athletics administrators. The University

negotiated a discounted multi-year agreement, resulting in a lower overall cost than annual

renewals while providing predictable pricing and long-term savings. Considering its proprietary

functionality and the negotiated pricing, the expenditure represents a fair and reasonable value.

The University of Southern Mississippi

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase

SSP 26_030

Advertisement Schedule

1st scheduled

2nd scheduled

Date

7/2/26

7/9/26

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 July 17, 2026, 8:00 AM CST, to:

Jacob Cochran

Director of Procurement & Contracts

Jacob.Cochran@usm.edu

Subject Line must read "Sole Source Objection 25_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.

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

Solicitation	Submission Deadline	Request Documents and Specifications
SSP 26_030 Collegiate Sports Connect	7/17/26 8:00 PM	SSP 26_030

SSP 26_030 Collegiate Sports Connect

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See also