Notice End Date: December 8, 2023

Vendor Name: Roche Diagnostics Corporation

Contract Amount: 630,000

Agency Procurement Manager: Brad Byrd

Agency Procurement Manager Email: byrdg@musc.edu

Agency Procurement Manager Telephone#: (843) 985-1798

The Agency hereby provides notice that it intends to enter into a sole source contract per S.C. Code Ann. §11-35-1560 with Vendor for the following supplies, services, information technology, or construction:

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 Roche Diagnostics Corporation for the purchase of a two Ventana Discovery Ultra autostainers, service and reagents.

Purpose and Objectives: The Translational Science Laboratory Shared Resource (TSL SR) at Hollings Cancer Center needs to increase its throughput capacity and turnaround time for all levels of multiplex immunofluorescent staining, or “mIF”, projects. The TSL SR offers a unique multiplex immunofluorescent staining service for users that requires both scalability and flexibility due to the diversity of projects as well as the volume of slides to be stained for each project. Due to the increased number of requests for services from other departments, which is requiring the use of the Department’s current Ventana Discovery Ultra autostainer, and the high level of usage by the department itself, it is resulting in more frequent maintenance needs for the machine.  

Sole Source Justification:  The Roche Ventana Discovery Ultra autostainer offers both scalability (up to 30 slides at once) and flexibility (more than 4 different protocols running simultaneously), which makes it the only commercially available platform with this combination of attributes.  Importantly, the flexibility and scalability of this autostainer does not compromise the quality of data generated.  Because the department already has and uses one of these autostainers, they are positioned to quickly implement the new equipment to its full potential once it is installed.

No other manufacturers offer an autostainer which meets the criteria listed above and is compatible with existing equipment. Roche Diagnostics is offering a direct trade-in for the departments current autostainer (SN#: 319549/ FA#: 83194054), discount on a second unit and yearly services.

Roche Diagnostics is the sole manufacturer and distributor of the BenchMark Discovery Series, and all the associated reagents and consumables. Additionally, the service of the family of systems must be performed by Roche Diagnostics trained service engineers, or the warranty for this instrument is rendered null and void.

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 Contracting Specialist at byrdg@musc.edu prior to the contact deadline: December 8th, 2023, at 12:00 AM EST. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Upon receipt of the interested parties’ notification, the Contracting Officer will determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement or proceed with sole source negotiations.

Agency's justification for a sole source procurement may be viewed or immediately obtained at: Agency Procurement Manager (Listed Above)

PROTESTS:
Any actual or prospective bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor aggrieved in connection with the intended award or award of this sole source contract, shall notify the appropriate chief Procurement officer in writing of its intent to protest within five (5) business days of the date this notice is posted. Any actual or prospective bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor who is aggrieved in connection with the intended award or award of this sole source contract and has timely notified the appropriate chief procurement officer of its intent to protest, may protest to the appropriate chief procurement officer in the manner set forth below within fifteen days of the date this notice is posted; except that a matter that could have been raised as a protest of the solicitation may not be raised as a protest of the award or intended award of a contract.
A protest must be in writing, filed with the appropriate chief procurement officer, and set forth the grounds of the protest and the relief requested with enough particularity to give notice of the issues to be decided. The protest must be received by the appropriate chief procurement officer within the time provided above. Days are calculated as provided in S.C. Code Ann. § 11-35-310(13).

Any Notice Of Intent To Protest And Protest Must Be Addressed To: Materials Management Officer