Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase of Umbilical Cable

The University of Southern Mississippi is proposing a sole source purchase of an umbilical cable from Fibron BX Limited. The cable is designed for use with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and has been tested and qualified for deepwater research. The university believes that Fibron's cable is the only reliable option for their specific needs. Key points to consider: • The cable is 17.3mm in diameter and contains electrical instrument and power cores alongside fiber-optics. • The cable has a 2-layer steel armor package for strength. • The cable has been fully qualified and tested and has been in use successfully with WHOI for many years. • Other cables from other manufacturers have a high failure rate once the cable reaches a certain depth.