Description
The University of Mississippi is proposing a sole source purchase of a Frigid Units, Inc. LS-700 Living Streams Tank. The tank is required for the Department of Biology's research on freshwater invertebrates, which needs a temperature-controlled, unidirectional flowing water environment that mimics a natural freshwater stream ecosystem. The tank must be held off the ground without the need for excavation or installation of a drainage system. The Living Stream is a unique and highly specialized holding tank that meets these requirements.
* The tank features a water chiller unit that pumps and cools water.
* It has a filter with carbon filtering media.
* The tank is free-standing and portable, giving optimal control over environmental conditions.
* The manufacturer, Frigid Units, is the only distributor of the Living Stream aquatic raceways with a rectangular shaped tank and a chilled water pump.
* The department has conducted intensive online research and discussions with other colleagues and researchers, and no analogous product is available.
* The proposed purchase amount is $21,961, which is considered reasonable for the custom-built nature of the raceway tank and chiller pump.