12 Miss. Code. R. 9-4.1
An RFI is used by a procuring Agency to gather information relevant to an upcoming procurement of personal or professional services. It is an information request and is not binding on the Agency or any party who participates.
The purpose of an RFI is to gain familiarity with the current market for a particular service and to gather information in a formal, structured, and comparable way. Use of an RFI prior to issuing a solicitation may be valuable in developing a well-conceived solicitation document and clarifying the competitive requirements.
However, the RFI may not be used as a source selection method to procure a personal or professional service. Any meetings or conferences referenced in this chapter are held prior to issuance of a solicitation and therefore are not considered pre-bid or pre-submission conferences.
12 Miss. Code. R. 9-4.1