Notice End Date: March 27, 2025

Vendor Name: Bruker Biospin Corp

Contract Amount: 290,239.51

Agency Procurement Manager: SC Young

Agency Procurement Manager Email: scy@clemson.edu

Agency Procurement Manager Telephone#: 864-656-2830

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:

Clemson University's Biological Sciences Department seeks to sole source the purchase of a Bruker X4 Poseidon micro_CT Imaging workstation.  This instrument will will be used to expand the research lab’s research potential, another key factor in this early career investigator award.  The requirements of the research are:

1.    Non-destructive 3D x-ray imaging of internal structures within whole animals. This includes imaging of mineralized tissue like bone and, with contrast stains, soft tissues such as muscles
2.    High resolution of < 5 microns given the size of the majority of our samples (a total length of 0.5-5 cm)
3.    An ability to also accommodate large samples up to 10 cm in length and 25 cm in height
4.    An ability to upgrade the camera and x-ray source should future work require additional capabilities
5.    A user-friendly interface and software

Bruker Biospin Corporation is the only provider that offers a uCT system that meets all these needs. In particular, the Poseidon X4 system provides the flexibility to image our small samples at high enough resolution, while also accommodating our large samples. Further, this is the only uCT system on the market that is upgradable in the field, meaning we can purchase additional cameras to add to the system without purchasing an entirely new instrument.  Bruker Biospin Corporation is the exclusive supplier of Bruker uCT imaging equipment, making this equipment not available from any other reseller or distributor.  For these reasons, this is a sole source procurement.

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