High Content Screening System

Trade Agreement: NONE
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited
to bid
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Molecular Devices, LLC
1311 Orleans Drive
Sunnyvale California
United States
94089
Nature of Requirements: 
NRC High Content Screening System - Charlottetown, PEI

31029-132731/A
Logan, Elizabeth
Telephone No. - (780) 497-3956
Fax No. - (780) 497-3510

1.	Advance Contract Award Notice

An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community
that a department or agency intends to award a contract for
goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier,
thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in
bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no
supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the
requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date
stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed
with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

2.	Definition of the Requirement

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) located in
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has a requirement for the supply,
delivery and off-loading of one (1) High Content Screening
System.

The National Research Council of Canada is seeking a high
content screening system with the flexibility and broad utility
it requires to meet the needs of a rapid paced, multi-user,
multi-application and multidisciplinary research environment.

3.	Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities
(Minimum Essential Requirements)

Major selection criteria for the system:
1.	Able to perform long-term live cell imaging with minimum
photo-toxicity (a phenomenon where imaging light causes harm to
the cells being imaged) with a stable light source.
2.	This requires large field-of-view imaging detector, high
numerical aperture optics, on demand illumination system with
multiple wavelengths and flexible auto-focusing system.
3.	Must be capable of bright field imaging 
4.	Flexible optical system with user changeable and replaceable
optical components Must support the highest possible optical
resolution (at least 100X) for research needs - support of
immersion lenses.
5.	Must have a precise scanning stage which allows stitching
several fields seamlessly for large field imaging of cells and
tissue sections.
6.	Must include environmental control for incubating cells,
fluidics for changing media or adding compounds to cells and a
robot for handling plates.
7.	Must be capable of imaging slides using both fluorescent and
colorimetric detection methods and be validated for Oil red O
and H&E stained slides.
Essential Criteria:
1.	Wide field high content screening system.
2.	External, upgradable by user and replaceable solid-state
illumination source with;
a.	 continuous wavelength covering a least 380-650nm
b.	10,000 h life span or better
c.	 light only used when illuminating sample
d.	alternative light sources available.
3.	Large field TE  cooled (0°C) scientific CMOS camera with
16bit dynamic range;
a.	5.5MP chip or better
b.	Capable of exposures 2 sec or longer
c.	Noise 1.5e or less
d.	100fps or better at fast digitization
e.	low noise slow digitization leading to 1:25,000 dynamic range
or better
f.	 3 log dynamic range intensity detection or better 
4.	XYZ stage with a precision 100nm or less.
5.	Bright field illumination compatible with fluidics and
environmental options.
6.	Able to perform online flat field illumination correction.
7.	Capable of performing combined focusing with both software
and laser reflection based focusing.
8.	Adjustable field-of-view to focus on sample area most
appropriate to the assay.
9.	Environmental control for up to 6 days of live-cell imaging
with both CO2 and temperature controls and supports medium
changes with supplied fluidics station.
10.	Customer changeable and replaceable filters requiring no
tools. Supports both dry and immersion optics from 1 -100X and
equipped with the following optics: 
a.	4X PLAN APO 0.20 NA
b.	10X S PLAN  FLUOR 0.3 NA 
c.	20X S PLAN  FLUOR ELWD 0.45 NA 
d.	40X S PLAN FLUOR ELWD 0.45NA
e.	OBJECTIVE 60X Plan Fluor .085 NA
f.	OBJECTIVE 60X, S PLAN FLUOR EDWD 0.70 NA, CC 0.1-1.3MM
g.	OBJECTIVE 2X CFI PLAN APO 0.10 NA
h.	
11.	Fluorescence filter sets for the following dyes:
a.	DAPI
b.	FITC/Alexa488
c.	Rhodamine/TRITC
d.	Cy3
e.	Cy5
f.	Texas red
g.	RGB filters for colorimetric Imaging.
12.	Software-controlled linear objective changer with protection
for unselected objectives.
13.	Robotics for plate loading with bar code reader which is
integrated with the system for scheduling.
14.	Supports a variety of multi-well plate types and slides,
including thick or thin, glass or plastic and trans-well formats
including low profile low volume assay plates. 
15.	Imager must support analysis of standard microscope slides
in a robot compatible slide holder. 3 slide holder to be
included.
16.	Able to perform RGB imaging with slides in holders.
17.	Imager must support colorimetric dyes such as Oil Red O and
hematoxylin and eosin for imaging of histology slides.
18.	Includes a digital confocal option to enhance contrast of
images during acquisition, decrease exposure time and increase
throughput while maintaining assay quality.
19.	Automated acquisition and analysis of images for high
throughput cell-based screening and analysis of slides.
20.	Software controls both image acquisition and analysis. Image
processing software must be compatible with 64-bit Microsoft
Windows 7.
21.	Enterprise-level database, for data management and image
storage, automatically linking analysis results to original
images, segmentation overlays and annotations, compatible with
Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle platforms.
22.	Environmental control which provides temperature, CO2 and
humidity to the sample plate to maintain live cells in an
incubator-like environment.
g.	Enables multi-hour/multi-day live cell time-lapse imaging.
h.	Mimics lab incubator conditions when premixed CO2 is supplied.
i.	Temperature control: 30-40°C ± 0.5°C.
j.	Humidity maintained above plate; evaporation < 0.5
ìL/well/hour (96- or 384-well formats).
k.	Fully compatible with Fluidics and bright field light options.
23.	Fluidics- Fully controllable single-channel pipetting with
heated compound plate holders and compatibility with disposable
96- and 384- format pipette tips.
a.	Dispenses volumes from 3 ìL to 200 ìL ±1 ìL ±5%.
b.	Uses 96- or 384-well disposable tips (not pins) with
automated tip changing.
c.	Provides compound addition and media exchange for short-term
and multi-day experiments.
d.	Plate heating capability (30-40°C ± 0.5°C)
e.	Compatible with bright field imaging.
24.	Robotics- Stand Alone Plate Loading Robot- Robot should be
validated to work with the HCS instrument in the above specified
configuration and the robot must be supported by the HCS
instrument vendor.  The Robot should also be portable and
designed to work with other common plate readers, plate washers
and liquid handlers.  The robot must come with easy to use and
user configurable software supported by the robot manufacturer
and interface with the acquisition software.
25.	Acquisition Computer- Recent and appropriately configured
Windows 7 64-bit acquisition computer with all instrument
control, image processing and database software and licenses. 
Computer must also be supplied with 2 x 24 inch or 1 x 27 inch
LCD monitor(s) or better. 
Acquisition and Image Processing
1.	Software should be easy to use and suitable for a multi-user
environment.
2.	Supports colorimetric imaging.
3.	Scanner controlling software able to perform;
a.	Multiple position time-lapse experiments.
b.	Flat-field correction.
c.	"smart" acquisition based on cell numbers.
d.	Robotic control for scheduling of multiple plates.
e.	Setup up and scheduling of media and compound additions to
plates.
f.	Control of plate heating.
4.	Data storage management module for organizing, accessing and
storage of imaging data
5.	Multi-core processing software modules or routines to
automate common image analysis tasks. Required applications
include:
a.	Cell Cycle Applications.
b.	Live/Dead cell application.
c.	Multi-wavelength cell scoring application.
d.	Transfluor application.
e.	Micronuclei application.
6.	Flexibility of software modules is essential. The system must
be flexible enough to be able develop customized modules.
7.	Bioinformatics tools for data management, analysis (curving
fitting), visualization, annotation and mining with
bi-directional interactive image viewer.
8.	 Software must be provided for offline data analysis (3
licenses)
9.	 Software upgrades  provided free of charge for at least 2
years

Data storage/management/export/conversion
1.	Enterprise-level database, for data management and image
storage, automatically linking analysis results to original
images, segmentation overlays and annotations, compatible with
Microsoft SQL Server and/or Oracle platforms. 
2.	Database should have easy to use tools allowing users to
perform operations to maintain, archive, and restore and move
data stored in the Database.
3.	Export tools within software to enable database queries for
export of multiple measurements to Excel for one or more plates.
Service Contract for onsite services and preventative
maintenance to cover the instrument and robot for an additional
year
Training and Installation- Proposal must include installation
and onsite staff training for at least 6 people and cover all
operational and preventative maintenance aspects of equipment
and software.

4.	Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

The procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:

w	Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
w	North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
World Trade Organization (WTO)

5.	Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The National Research Council of Canada is seeking a high
content screening system with the flexibility and broad utility
it requires to meet the needs of a rapid paced, multi-user,
multi-application and multidisciplinary research environment.
The instrument must incorporate broad functionality that will
accommodate a diverse range of research applications, while
providing the flexibility of being user upgradable and
reconfigurable when research priorities shift. To that end, it
must have an automated high resolution camera (cooled scientific
CMOS camera with at least a 5.5 MP chip) for detailed imaging of
cells, tissues and assay wells; user changeable and replaceable
filters, objectives and light source; and use disposable tips
(not pins) with automated tip changing to minimize operational
costs. The system is also required to have environmental
control, fluidics capabilities to change medium and add
compounds to cells and assays and a robotic plate handler.
Furthermore to facilitate multi day imaging experiments of live
cells, the instrument must have a highly precise stage, minimize
sample evaporation to a specified minimum level and have the
ability to perform scheduled cell medium changes and compound
additions. This instrument will also support tissue and cell
histology studies and must have the capability to handle
standard microscope slides and image histology and
immunohistochemistry samples using both fluorescent and
colorimetric detection methods. In particular we require the
instrument is vendor validated for imaging Oil Red O and H&E
stained slides. Furthermore the instrument must be compatible
with the unique properties encountered with natural health
products and complex mixtures

Make and Model Required:
Molecular Devices
Image Xpress Micro

6.	Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)


The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts
Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6
(d) - only one person is capable of performing the contract.

7.	Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are
invoked under the:

w	Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Article 506.12 (b)"Where
there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and the
goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier
and no alternative or substitute exists." 

w	North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Article 1016 2
(b) "where, for works of art, or for reasons connected with the
protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights, or
proprietary information or where there is an absence of
competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be
supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable
alternative or substitute exists." 
World Trade Organization (WTO) - Article XV (b) "when, for works
of art or for reasons connected with protection of exclusive
rights, such as patents or copyrights, or in the absence of
competition for technical reasons, the products or services can
be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable
alternative or substitute exists;

	


8.	Delivery Date

All the deliverables are required on or before March 31, 2014.

9.	Cost Estimate of the Proposed Contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is
$385,421.00 (GST/HST extra).

10.	Name and Address of the Pre-identified Supplier

	Molecular Devices, LLC.
	1311 Orleans Dr
	Sunnyvale  CA   94089   USA

11.	Suppliers' Right to Submit a Statement of Capabilities:

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available
to provide the services and/or goods described herein, may
submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact
person identified in this notice on or before the closing date
of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly
demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

12.	Closing Date for a Submission of a Statement of Capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of
capabilities is February 13, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. MDT.

13.	Inquiries and Submission of Statements of Capabilities

	Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be delivered to:

	Elizabeth Logan
	Supply Specialist
	Public Works and Government Services Canada
	Western Region - Acquisitions Branch
	Telus Plaza North 5th Floor
	10025 Jasper Avenue
	Edmonton, AB   T5J 1S6

	Telephone:  (780) 497-3956
	Facsimile:   (780) 497-3510


Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate
with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any
questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting
officer identified above.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and
agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15)
calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it
intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a
pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or
before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets
the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority
may then proceed with the award.  However, should a Statement of
Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the
ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full
tendering process.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available
to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a
statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person
identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this
Notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate
how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the
closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the
envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile
transmission, on the covering page.

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any
procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.