NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids 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 Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 2

The University of Southern Mississippi is soliciting sealed bids under solicitation number 3160008272 for Cisco Smartnet Maintenance. The scope of work involves providing maintenance and support services for a variety of Cisco hardware and software assets, including switches, routers, and security equipment, as well as AnyConnect subscription licenses. The general period of performance is from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027, with some items beginning as early as September 20, 2026. Service levels vary by asset and include SNTC 8X5XNBD, SNTP 24x7x4, and SSC4P. Sealed bids must be submitted to the Office of the Director of Procurement Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, or via the MAGIC portal by October 7, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. CST. Responses must be submitted as a single document and must include the completed Excel spreadsheet from Appendix A. The university will award the contract to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder based on unit and extended pricing, though it reserves the right to award on an all-or-none or line-by-line basis and may request Best and Final Offers to ensure best value. Vendors must comply with all local, state, and federal laws, including specific regulations regarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and non-discrimination policies. The university maintains strict prohibitions against disclaiming implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, as well as limitations of liability for infringement, bodily injury, death, or willful misconduct. Standard payment terms are Net 45 days, and any vendor failure to perform or requests for price increases may result in removal from the university's bidders list for 24 months.