Liquid chromatography mass spectrophotom

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston County is procuring a Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS) system through a formal Invitation for Bid (IFB) solicitation numbered 5400020801. The procurement seeks a triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS instrument with accompanying liquid chromatography systems, nitrogen generator, software, and related equipment for the Clinical Neurobiology Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry. The system must support drug confirmation analysis in human urine, cannabinoid analysis, and phosphatidyl ethanol analysis from human red blood cells, with the capability for rapid assay changeover. Key requirements include FDA Class I certification, manufacturer's product specifications, and operational manuals. The solicitation initially set the bid opening date for March 4, 2021, at 2:00 p.m., with questions from offerors due by February 18, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. The contract term is estimated to run five years from March 19, 2021, through March 18, 2026, with automatic renewal options for up to three additional years. Installation and basic training must be completed within 20 business days of delivery at the specified MUSC location.

The solicitation includes several vendor requirements and preferences, with a focus on South Carolina and U.S. vendors. Bidders must have a South Carolina vendor number and maintain liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence for commercial general liability and auto liability, plus worker's compensation insurance. The procurement applies resident vendor preferences and requires certifications regarding debarment, independent pricing, drug-free workplace, and ethics compliance. Award will be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with pricing structured as extended line-item prices for five annual lease periods. The lease payments must comprehensively cover service plan fees, preventative maintenance, software updates, and rapid two-business-day repair service. The equipment lease qualifies as tax-exempt under South Carolina sales and use tax law. While no specific budget range was disclosed, the solicitation indicates the contract will be for a five-year lease of specialized research equipment, with potential fair market buyout option at the contract's conclusion. The state does not apply Buy America Act requirements to this procurement.