In accordance with §11-35-1560 (A) of the SC Consolidated Procurement Code, it is the intent of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to award without competition, a sole source contract in accordance with Regulation 19-445.2105 (B) (5) to Coherent Inc, to acquire a Chameleon Discovery NX with Total Power Control (TPC) Laser System. The purpose of this purchase is to acquire a Chameleon Discovery NX with Total Power Control (TPC) Laser System for research that studies how brain activity changes in a variety of cortical regions resulting from genetic manipulations. In order to carry out the on-going research, the research investigator must have the ability to record in vivo brain activity using fluorescent sensors with excitation wavelengths across a wide spectrum. To reliably image neuronal activity using fluorescent sensors that are excited across a wide spectral range, a laser is required that has the ability to:

• tune over a wide spectral range (below 700nm and above 1300nm),

• effectively modulate the laser power across the spectrum while maintaining high contrast and high modulation speed.

• have multiple ways to integrate and control the TPC modulators The laser from Coherent is the only known system which meets all these criteria. It has a tuning range of 660nm to 1320nm and an integrated Acousto-Optic Modulator (AOM) that offers Total Power Control (TPC) across the entire tunable spectrum. Additionally, this eliminates the need for a Pockels cell on the multi-photon microscope. Coherent system is the only laser that MUSC found, on the market with specifications guaranteed after modulation. QUESTIONS: Shall be addressed to the email address of the Procurement Officer indicated below. PROTESTS (MAY 2019): If you are aggrieved in connection with the intended award of this contract, you may be entitled to protest, but only as provided in §11-35-4210. To protest an intended award of a contract pursuant to §11-35-1560, you shall (i) notify the chief procurement officer in writing of your intent to protest within five (5) business days of the date this intent to award is posted, and (ii) if the appropriate chief procurement officer has been timely notified of your intent to protest, you may submit your actual protest within fifteen days of the date this notice of intent to award is posted. Days are calculated as provided in §11-35-310(13). Both protests and notices of intent to protest must be in writing and must be received by the appropriate Chief Procurement Officer within the time provided. The grounds of the protest and the relief requested must be set forth with enough particularity to give notice of the issues to be decided. Any protest or notice of intent to protest must be addressed to the Chief Procurement Officer, Materials Management Office, and submitted in writing (a) by email to: protest mmo@mmo.sc.gov or (b) by post or delivery to: 1201 Main Street, Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29201. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Any responsible sources who wish to identify their interest and capability to provide these services must notify this Procurement Officer at kellysy@musc.edu prior to the contact deadline of May 21, 2021 12:00 AM EST. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Upon receipt of the interested parties’ notification, theProcurement Officer will determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement or proceed with sole source negotiations.