SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT - Hitachi TM4000 PLUS Tabletop Microscope

Longwood University awarded a sole‑source contract to Angstrom Scientific, Inc. for the purchase of a Hitachi TM4000 PLUS tabletop microscope, complete with motorized XY stage, accessories, installation, factory‑trained technician set‑up, user training, and a one‑year warranty. The equipment is intended to equip a new laboratory in a new academic building, consolidating multiple lower‑spec microscopes into a single high‑performance unit. The total contract value is $74,950, exceeding the $5,000 threshold for mandatory sole‑source approval and the $50,000 public‑posting requirement. The agency followed Virginia’s public procurement statutes, documenting a four‑point justification and outreach to three contract vendors that could not supply the product. • Vendor: Angstrom Scientific, Inc., the exclusive distributor of the Hitachi TM4000 PLUS. • Scope: Supply, install, train, and warranty a high‑end scientific microscope for a university laboratory. • Value: $74,950 (firm‑fixed‑price lump sum). • Procurement type: Sole source, approved per Virginia Public Procurement Act. • Key dates: Issue 3/3/2021, bid closing 3/4/2021, award intended 3/3/2021 (signature 3/4/2021).