Five-year service contract with a 25% discount for preventative maintenance, repair, software updates and support for the leica TCS SP8 confocal microscope system with white light laser. The service contract includes unlimited phone and remote support. PR

The University of New Mexico is issuing a sole-source purchase notice for a five-year service contract with Leica Microsystems for maintenance, repair, software updates, and support of a Leica TCS SP8 Confocal Microscope System with white light laser, with the notice posted for 30 days prior to purchase and a proposal due date of October 9, 2026.

This is a sole-source procurement. The justification rests on proprietary technology: the Leica TCS SP8 system incorporates patented components—a tunable pulsed white light laser, an acousto-optic beam splitter, and a prism-based spectral detection system—available exclusively from Leica Microsystems. UNM determined that no qualified third-party vendors with specific expertise exist for servicing this specialized instrumentation, and that no alternative factory-trained and qualified confocal repair service providers operate in the United States, Canada, or Latin America. Direct manufacturer support is identified as the most cost-effective approach to maintain optimal instrument performance for the facility's revenue-generating shared research operations.

The service contract includes unlimited phone and remote support, unlimited service visits by Leica-trained service engineers, unlimited replacement service parts, and one annual planned maintenance visit. The contract period runs from December 30, 2026, through December 29, 2031, and represents a renewal of UNM's existing service agreement expiring December 31, 2026.

The total contract value is $203,250, invoiced yearly at $40,650 per year, reflecting a 25% discount from Leica Microsystems' standard rates. The request was submitted on September 8, 2026, by Michael Paffett, PhD, Technical Director of the UNMCCC ALM Shared Resource Department, and will be posted on the UNM Sunshine Portal and the State of New Mexico Procurement website.