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 Femtonics Ltd for the purchase of a Femto 3D Atlas Dichroic Acousto-optic Microscope, FemtoSmart Galvo Microscope, Software and accessories.
Purpose and Objectives: The Department is working on a research plan that is centered on building experimentally tested models of cortical circuit development, plasticity, and cognitive function from embryonic development onwards. This entails both simultaneous recording and manipulation of large numbers of cortical neurons, spread out across three-dimensions (3D), during both embryonic development (very low signal-to-noise ratios), as well as throughout the depth of cortex.
Sole Source Justification: To enable simultaneous recordings and manipulations of neurons within a cortical circuit, it is necessary to have a microscope that can: 1) simultaneously record large numbers of neurons across 3D, 2) stably image from neurons in vivo (i.e. accounting for movements) while maintaining high speed, and 3) utilize two different wavelengths of laser light to randomly stimulate or record from each neuron.
All acousto-optic 2p microscopes satisfy (1), as the technology enables rapid (>30 kHz) random-access targeting of a laser beam across 3D space (thereby enabling targeting many neurons, each at >100 Hz). However, most acousto-optic scopes (both custom-made, and from the only other commercial producer) only record a single point at a time. In living tissue, with potential movements, The Department needs to record an area surrounding each neuron to account for movement. Therefore, the speed advantage of the acousto-optic design is reduced. In contrast, the Femto 3D design includes a “drift scanning” mode to enable the rapid imaging of a checkerboard around each neuron. Therefore, this satisfies the requirement of (2), enabling rapid recording of multiple neurons, in living tissue. Finally, the dichroic version of the Femto 3D enables simultaneous stimulation and recording across randomly selected neurons, throughout the depth of cortex. Therefore, this satisfies the requirement for (3). This makes the Femto 3D Atlas the only commercially available microscope that can satisfy all these requirements.
In addition to this specialty microscope, it is also necessary for the Department to have an additional microscope specifically for performing recordings, stably and repeatably. Most current two-photon microscopes predominantly only enable imaging, with sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, in the upper layers of the mouse cortex (i.e. < 400 microns). Hence, to enable recordings throughout the depth of cortex, it is necessary to have a microscope with sufficiently high optical quality to enable high transmittance of laser power through the depth of the tissue. Additionally, it greatly simplifies user training and improves performance to have this microscope use the same control software as the acousto-optic scope (and hence to purchase both microscopes from the same manufacturer). Further, the data analysis pipeline can be duplicated across both microscopes, thereby decreasing the learning curve, and increasing scientific productivity.
The proposed pair of microscopes from Femtonics Ltd is the only available system which meets all the necessary criteria of the Department.
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: October 2nd, 2024, 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.