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 Brainbox Ltd. for the purchase of two NeuroFUS Deep Transducers (DPX-500 and CTX-500) and associated accessories.
Purpose and Objectives: The Department of Neuroscience Research at MUSC was recently awarded funding under the COM-PPG grant, which focuses on developing precision low-intensity focused ultrasound for opioid use disorder (OUD) across both preclinical and clinical models. A critical requirement of this project is the ability to stimulate deep brain structures, specifically the nucleus accumbens (NAc), in human participants.
The department currently owns a NeuroFUS ultrasound system with a CTX-250 transducer. However, this existing transducer operates at a lower frequency (250 kHz) and supports a limited stimulation depth of approximately 25–40 mm, making it suitable only for cortical applications. In contrast, the scope of the COM-PPG project requires stimulation at significantly greater depths.
The requested transducers provide the necessary capability:
• CTX-500: 40–80 mm stimulation depth
• DPX-500: 60–110 mm stimulation depth
These specifications are essential to meet the project’s requirement to access deeper brain nuclei.
Additionally, the project requires MRI compatibility to support validation of neural target engagement using resting-state fMRI. NeuroFUS is uniquely capable of providing both the required stimulation depth and MRI compatibility within the same system.
Sole Source Justification: NeuroFUS transducers are the only components that are fully compatible with the department’s existing NeuroFUS system. They are specifically designed to integrate with the system’s firmware and calibration requirements, and no third-party alternatives can be utilized.
Furthermore, these transducers are solely and exclusively manufactured by Sonic Concepts Inc. and are distributed exclusively by Brainbox Ltd., making Brainbox Ltd. the only authorized supplier.
Due to the technical requirements of the funded research, system compatibility constraints, and the exclusive manufacturing and distribution arrangement, Brainbox Ltd. is the only source for these transducers.
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: June 18th, 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.
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
803-737-0600 • scbo@mmo.sc.gov • https://scbo.sc.gov • https://procurement.sc.gov
