Liquid Handling System

Trade Agreement: CETA/WTO-AGP/CPTPP/CFTA/FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama/Korea/UK
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
EPPENDORF CANADA LTD.
2810 Argentia Road
Unit #2
Mississauga Ontario
Canada
L5N8L2
Nature of Requirements: 

1.  Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) 

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.  Requirement 

The National Microbiology Laboratory at Guelph (NML@Guelph) of the Public Health Agency of Canada has a requirement for the supply of an automated Liquid Handling pipetting system that can enable for mid to high-throughput processing of bacterial isolates for ISO-17025 Reference testing purposes.  The equipment must meet all the minimum essential technical requirements as specified below.

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

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its system meets the following requirements: 

1. The system must be capable of automating the DNA extraction process in a 36 and 96-well format. The instrument must be compatible with all commercially available Solid phase Extraction systems (i.e. using different types DNA extraction kits) such as filter plate-based and magnetic bead-based extraction and purification kits from other vendors.

2. The system must have the capability of mid (36 samples) to high throughput (96 samples) processing without user-intervention. It must have an integrated shaking incubator, a vacuum module, a magnetic separator module and UV/HEPA filtration enclosure with shaking, magnetic separation and temperature control capabilities:

a. It must have an integrated vacuum unit to accommodate 96-well filter plate-based extractions in addition to magnetic bead-based extractions, all on one system. The desirable suction range for the vacuum unit is 0.1 - 0.85 ± 0.05 hPa and programmable suction time is 1 to 99 min.

b.It must have an integrated Peltier-based thermal element for heating or cooling of samples and reagents. This unit must be completely integrated on the worktable and programmable directly from the operating software.

i. Temperature Range: 0°C to 110°C
ii. Heating: from 25 °C to 95 °C in 8 minutes (8.75°C/min)
iii. Cooling: from 25 °C to 4 °C in 5 minutes (4.2°C/min)

3. The instrument must incorporate the following feature and functionalities:

a. Optical confocal infrared detector that provides contact free detection of liquid levels, tools used, labware setup and quantities by means of measuring the light reflection of surfaces. This avoids the use of electrical conductive tips.

b. A worktable containing 10 or more full positions, for pipette tip boxes, one vacuum module, one shaking incubator and a magnetic separator module.

c.Set of 8 dispensing pipette tools that will enable contact free dispensing of samples from the pipette tip inot labware reducing the possibility of cross-contamination and eliminating the need for liquid back-filled syringe systems.

d. These pipetting tools must be completely autoclavable.

4. The system must have a Gripper attachment that will allow the movement of consumables (plates, racked tubes, etc)

5. This system must have a Database of predefined labware and consumable for all components used on the worktable.

6. The system must have HEPA filter for clean air inside (Air flow with 70-80 m3/h and filter class E10) and UV lamp for decontamination of workspace (UV light with 39 µW/cm2 power and 254 nm (UV-C) main wavelength)

7. The system must be capable of performing PCR clean-up and dilutions during library preparation and normalization process required for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) methodologies. It must be compatible with whole genome sequencing kits available from Illumina. (the provider of MiSeq and NextSeq sequencing kits and platforms) 

8. The system must be able to allow for sample tracking through barcode reading and must be compatible for integration to a centralized LabWare-Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software. 

9. The system’s software must have:

a. Ability to import sample transfer commands from a CSV file for cherry picking applications

b. Pipetting pattern recognistion for sample transfer commands.

c. 3D simulation of methods to check for errors.

10. The system must be compatibile with the existing system DNA concentration reader (FilterMax F5 Microplate Reader) to do the follow-up step of automatic DNA dilutions and library normalizations.       

11. The Automated liquid handling system must be a fully enclosed system with a safety door, which if opened will pause the operation to avoid any injury and prevent external interference to the method.

12. The footprint of the system must be no greater than 28” in depth for it to fit on the NML@Guelph laboratory bench without any renovations and disruptions in the sample testing workflow.

13. The system must include an integrated shaking incubator to enable orbital shaking with heating and cooling technology and must be operational while simultaneously pipetting onto other worktable positions. This Thermomixer module must be fully integrated and controlled via a software to perform following weight, shaking and temperature ranges:

i. Maximum payload is 1,000 grams
ii. Mixing range 300 - 2,000 rpm
iii. Temperature range: -15 ºC from room temperature to 95 ºC
iv. Heating rate: 5 ºC/min
v. Cooling rate: 3 ºC/min

14. The Supplier must also provide on-site customer service, training and installation services from highly qualified personnel who will ensure that the system is programmed to fulfill the specific operating needs.

4.  Applicability of the trade agreements to the procurement 

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements: 

-Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
-World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
-Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
-Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
-Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
-Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
-Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
-Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
-Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
-Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
-Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)
-Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (CUKTCA)

5.  Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier 

Eppendorf Canada Ltd. has been identified as the only supplier capable of providing an automated Liquid Handling pipetting system as described above.

6.  Government Contracts Regulations Exception 

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

7.  Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons 

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - Article 513, 1(b)
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) - Article XV, 1.(b)
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - Article 19.2 (b)
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - Article 15.10 (b)
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) - Article(s) Kbis-09 (b)
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement - Article 1409 (b)
Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement - Article 17.11 (b)
Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement - Article 14.3
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement - Article 1409 (b)
Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) - Article 1409 (b)
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) - Article 10.13 (b)
Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (CUKTCA) - same as CETA - Article 19.2 (b)

8.  Delivery Date

The estimated delivery date of the system is 2021-12-31, and must be delivered by 2022-03-31.

9.  Cost estimate of the proposed contract

~ $200,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

10.  Name and address of the pre-identified supplier 

Eppendorf Canada Ltd.
2810 Argentina Road, #2
Mississauga, Ontario L5N 8L2

11.  Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities 

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN 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: 
November 12th, 2021 at 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

13.  Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities 

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 

Contracting Authority: Andrew Denbeigh 
Phone Number: (613) 484-1586 
E-mail Address: andrew.denbeigh@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

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.