Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase – Mississippi State University (SSN 267‑035)

Mississippi State University’s Institute for Clean Energy Technology is planning a sole‑source acquisition of a Precision X‑Ray X‑Rad320 irradiation system to enable in‑house, NQA‑1‑compliant HEPA filter qualification work. The purchase includes the X‑Ray unit, a motorized rotating specimen shelf, TouchRAD measurement & control, external dosimetry, an environmental chamber, shipping, installation, and training for a total estimated cost of $282,450. The equipment will allow the university to meet DOE‑related research needs without the regulatory burdens of traditional gamma‑source irradiators. • Provides a self‑contained X‑ray irradiator capable of 3–48 Gy/min dose‑rates and up to 6 × 10⁵ Gy total dose. • Eliminates need for heavy shielding, licensing, and disposal associated with Cs‑137 or Co‑60 sources. • Supports DOE and HEPA filter manufacturers by generating qualification data under ASME AG‑1 standards. • Sole‑source justification hinges on the unique capabilities of the X‑Rad320 and lack of comparable alternatives meeting NQA‑1 QA requirements.