Notice End Date: November 21, 2024

Vendor Name: Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.

Contract Amount: 110,148.18

Agency Procurement Manager: Jennifer D Hester

Agency Procurement Manager Email: jdhester@fmarion.edu

Agency Procurement Manager Telephone#: 843-661-1161

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:

The FMU Chemistry Department requires the use of a Mass Spectrometer (MS) for student use in the academic setting. Research is very important for developing fundamental skills that are essential for experimental chemistry research.

FMU’s current High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is used to separate and analyze the components of a liquid mixture by pushing a solvent (mobile phase) through a packed column (stationary phase) under high pressure, allowing for precise identification and quantification of individual compounds within the sample. By adding an MS to our current Liquid Chromatography (LC), students will be able to isolate active ingredients, identify drugs, evaluate formulations, and check purity of samples. This will provide training on a commonly used instrument in the industry that we have not been able to train our students to use in the past. The LCMS will benefit students majoring in chemistry, pharmacy and environmental science. Students in these majors will learn to use this technique in our organic, instrumental and environmental chemistry courses; this instrument may also be used in various independent research projects for not only students but also current FMU Faculty.  

 

The FMU Chemistry Department competitively procured an HPLC System from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments with IFB 2432. Mass Spectrometers (MS) are coupled to another instrument to provide an analysis of liquid samples. An MS will be added to the Shimadzu HPLC to enhance analysis by adding the capability of mass determination for substances that can’t be analyzed by GCMS.  This is a capability that we do not currently have in our instrument labs.  The Mass Spectrometer can be coupled with the department’s existing LC as a more cost-effective solution.

 

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc. would be the sole source provider of the MS because it will be coupled to the existing Shimadzu HPLC System. The maintenance and warranty for these systems are comprised of proprietary hardware and software that is the intellectual property of Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc. There are no other authorized entities that can provide factory-certified maintenance services for Shimadzu’s equipment; any maintenance performed by technicians other than Shimadzu Scientific certified technicians will void all factory warranties on the equipment.  The MS addition meets the needs, requirements, and budget provided by the Chemistry Department for student training for future career opportunities. For these reasons, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc. is the sole source for the University’s needs.

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