Notice End Date: May 12, 2026

Vendor Name: FujiFilm Visualsonics Corp

Contract Amount: 493218.80

Agency Procurement Manager: Leigh Gileno

Agency Procurement Manager Email: gileno@musc.edu

Agency Procurement Manager Telephone#: 843-876-8843

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 Fujifilm Visualsonics Corp for the purchase of Vevo F2 Imaging System. 

Purpose and Objectives: The Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology at MUSC is requesting purchasing the Vevo F2 Imaging System.  Vevo F2 is the only ultrasound equipment that allows imaging with low and high frequency transducers in animals ranging from small (zebrafish) to large animals (pigs) as well as (potentially) human using the same equipment. The equipment comes with a specialized imaging station that manages the spatial relationship between the animal and transducer (required to obtain images needed for analysis), contains an injection mount for image-guided injections into mouse organs, keeps the animal warm, monitors its physiology, and feeds body signal directly to the instrument. The Vevo F2 also has unique advanced acquisition modes, analysis modes, and hardware. This includes VevoStrain analysis for early detection of changes in cardiac function, Auto LV-an Al-based semiautomated analysis tool, 4D-mode-shown to be very similar to cardiac MRI, VevoCQ, and nonlinear contrast mode-the most sensitive technique for tissue perfusion assessment.  Additionally, we are testing the photoacoustic module of this specific imaging instrument for future purchase. No other equipment to date provides this module.

Sole Source Justification: Authorized the purchase of Vevo F2 Imaging System. FUJIFILM VisualSonics, Inc. (VisualSonics) is the exclusive and only manufacturer of in vivo ultra-high to low frequency linear array micro-ultrasound systems ranging from 71 - 1 MHz for small animal research, including the following products: Vevo LAZR-X20; Vevo LAZR-X; Vevo F2; Vevo F2 LT; Imaging system software, and all other Vevo branded hardware. VisualSonics maintains direct sales, scientific applications, and technical support teams in North America, Europe, and Australia / New Zealand who sell, service, and train customers on the use of all Vevo products. In these direct markets, the above noted products are solely provided by VisualSonics, and are not offered by any other distributor or reseller.

QUESTIONS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 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 gileno@musc.edu prior to the contact deadline:  MAY, 11th , 2026, 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