Sole source notice for TCS SP8 FALCON Upgrade

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
Notice of Proposed Sole Source Purchase
#SS 493
The University of Mississippi (UM) anticipates purchasing the item(s) listed below as a sole source
purchase. Anyone objecting to this purchase as a sole source shall follow the procedures outlined below.
Commodity or commodities to be purchased (manufacturer, model, description):
TCS SP8 FALCON (FAst Lifetime CONtrast) upgrade
The need to be fulfilled by this item(s) and why it is the only one that can meet the specific
needs of the department:
The University Imaging Community needs to measure molecular proximity within living tissues. Our
researchers may need to know how close two molecules on the surface of a cell are and how that
changes over time. A primary technique to accomplish this is FLIM-FRET, which requires a pulsed laser, a
confocal microscope, and advanced control systems. We currently have a confocal with a pulsed laser,
but we lack the control systems necessary for FLIM-FRET. This advanced control system includes
electronics and an interface for synchronizing FLIM excitation sources with detection. It also includes a
software solution that works with the Leica image acquisition software and drives the instrument
response function and data analysis. The TCS SP8 FALCON (FAst Lifetime CONtrast) upgrade to our
existing Leica SP8 Confocal microscope includes the electronics necessary for synchronization, as well as
the additional software required to interface with our existing Leica LAS X acquisition software. This
FALCON upgrade is designed to work specifically with our existing Leica scope and laser system. This is a
proprietary system, and no other manufacturers make components that work with it.
Name of company/individual selling the item and why that source is the only possible source that can
provide the required item(s):
Leica Microsystems, Inc. is the sole manufacturer and of the Leica SP8 Confocal microscope and the TCS
SP8 FALCON upgrade is a proprietary upgrade. After speaking with representatives from Zeiss, Olympus,
Bruker, and Thor about FLIM FRET systems, none would offer to upgrade our existing system; they all
offered to sell a brand-new complete FLIM-FRET system, including a new confocal. Leica is the only one
that offers the specific upgrade for our existing system.
Why the amount to be expended for the commodity is reasonable:
The upgrade for ~$49K is about 5% of the cost of a new complete FLIM-FRET system. Moreover, in
recent years, this system has sold for almost twice what our current quote lists.
Efforts that the agency went through to obtain the best possible price for the commodity:
The price was negotiated by the department PI I negotiated the price with Leica and explained that our
funding would not cover anything above $50K. They eventually agreed to drop the price significantly to
meet our limit.
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Submission Instructions and Format of Response from Objecting Parties:
Interested parties who have reason to believe that the item(s) above should not be certified as a sole
source should provide information in the following format for UM to use in determining whether or not
to proceed with awarding the Sole Source purchase.
1.1 Interested Party Information
1.1.1 Contact Name, Phone Number, Address and email address
1.1.2 Company Website URL, if applicable
1.2 Objection to Sole Source Certification
1.2.1 Interested parties must present specific objections to the Sole Source certification
using the criteria listed above.
1.2.2 A statement regarding the Interested Party's capabilities as related to this Sole
Source Certification Request.
1.2.3 Comments will be accepted at any time prior to Monday, September 28 at 10:00
am (Central Time). Comments should be addressed to:
Jeff Wells, Procurement Manager
The University of Mississippi Procurement Services
164 Jeanette Phillips Drive
PO Box 1848
University, Mississippi 38677
1.2.4 Responses may be delivered by hand, via regular mail, overnight delivery, or e-
mail at solesource@olemiss.edu with cc: to purchase@olemiss.edu and must
reference the sole source number.
1.2.5 UM WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DELAYS IN THE DELIVERY OF RESPONSES. It
is solely the responsibility of the Interested Parties that responses reach UM on
time. Interested parties may contact Jeff Wells to verify the receipt of their
responses. Responses received after the deadline will be rejected.
If after a review of the submitted notice and documents, UM determines that the commodity
in the proposed sole source request can be provided by another person or entity, then UM will
withdraw the sole source certification and submit the procurement of the commodity to an
advertised competitive bid or selection process.
If UM determines after review that there is only one (1) source for the required
commodity, then UM will appeal to the Public Procurement Review Board for approval to
purchase.
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