The Utah Procurement Code provides that a procurement may be made without competition when the University determines that there is only one source that can reasonably meet the University’s need for the required supply or service, as described in Utah Code Ann. § 63G-6a-802.
The Purchasing Department has received the following request for sole source procurement
Current date: 20241104
Product and/or Service to be purchased: Confocal System with adapters
Sole Source Supplier: BIOVISION INC
Earliest Proposed Purchase Date: November 06, 2024
Buyer Name: Kayla McMullen
Sole Source Justification:
Existing equipment is a fluorescent microscope, with 2 cameras, sourced from different companies, confocal head, and TIRF system, and 6 laser lines for imaging in TIRF and photoactivation, and Biovision software.
The original software that controls the system has been discontinued and is no longer supported. We purchased new software from Biovision that controls the confocal illumination and camera. However, the software cannot control the current TIRF or spatial illumination modules. Therefore, half of the functionality of the system has been lost (TIRF imaging and photo-illumination). The new software and equipment will allow us to get the system running again as designed. We will be able to image GFP, RFP, and far-red protein labels, as well as CFP and YFP reporters in confocal and TIRF, with the Perfect Focus system to maintain focus and each channel being set to its optimal z-position. In addition, each wavelength has an optimal incident angle for TIRF, so regaining this capability will allow us to best remove the out-of-focus light. Our Polygon system for patterned illumination cannot be easily integrated with other software. The requested Gataca iLas2 laser control will allow for optimal focusing of each laser line, independent TIRF angles, as well as spatial control of photo-activation and inhibition. There are currently no TIRF systems on campus with these capabilities.
To replace current equipment and go with a whole new set up is ~$400K replacement cost.
Other companies will not replace just the TIRF system, because they will not guarantee the laser safety or software compatibility to run the system. I discussed the issue with several companies in Dec 2023. Biovision is the only company that will work with my existing scope to upgrade and integrate new TIRF and patterned illumination components. The Gataca Systems TIRF controller and photoactivation controller also has a proprietary relationship with Biovision. The Gataca sysem will provide faster (4 ms) imaging, Widefield/Hilo/TIRF capabilities, and the ability to add upgradable with FRAP/Activation capabilities on the same microscope port in the future. The Gataca iLas2 can also perform azimuthal TIRF, which eliminates the interference rings that hinder our spatial analyses of FRET intensity. Purchasing the TIRF upgrade through Biovision is necessary.