Sole Source Request to Purchase ThermoFisher Scientific Helios 5 Hydra CX DualBeam System and ThermoFisher Scientific Spectra 200 S/TEM

Mississippi State University is seeking to purchase two advanced microscopy systems, a plasma-focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (PFIB-SEM) and a 200 kV aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope (AC-TEM), from Thermo Fisher Scientific. The systems will be used to support advanced materials characterization in the Golden Triangle region. The university has determined that Thermo Fisher Scientific is the only manufacturer capable of providing the required technical specifications. The estimated cost of the equipment is $5,186,011, which is a 55.85% discount from the list price. Some key features of the equipment include: • Multi-Ion Species Plasma FIB: The Helios 5 Hydra features a unique ICP-PFIB column that can seamlessly switch between four ion species (Xenon, Argon, Oxygen, and Nitrogen). • Extreme High-Resolution Optics: The electron gun utilizes proprietary UC+ technology to reduce the beam energy spread below 0.2 eV, enabling subnanometer resolution. • EMPAD-2 Detector: The Spectra 200 features the proprietary EMPAD 2 detector, which captures full diffraction patterns at every individual pixel at a 10 kHz readout rate with a large dynamic range. • Mechanical & Thermal Stability: The Spectra 200 features a 300 mm diameter column integrated inside a specialized acoustic enclosure that dampens environmental fluctuations, enabling highly reproducible atomic-scale spatial resolution. The university is seeking approval for a sole source purchase, and any objections or alternative proposals must be submitted in writing to Jennifer Mayfield, CPPO.