Quant Studio Real Time PCR

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama
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: 
Life Technologies Inc.
5250 Main Way
Burlington Ontario
Canada
L7L5Z1
Nature of Requirements: 
Marlene Hall
Supply Specialist
Telephone:  204 984-6423
E-mail:  marlene.hall@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca

File No.: 6D063-133082/A


TITLE:	Quant Studio Real Time PCR
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), on behalf
of Public Health Agency Canada (PHAC), intends to negotiate with
Life Technologies Inc. for the provision of a Quant Studio Real
Time PCR.

DEFINITION OF REQUIREMENT
The National Reference Centre for Mycobacteriology at the
National Microbiology Laboratory (NRCM/NML) has developed
several real-time RT-PCR assays on Applied Biosystems Real-time
PCR systems.  In order to increase our flexibility & capacity to
handle increased throughput and demand, especially in the case
of outbreak response, we need to purchase a real-time PCR system
with higher throughput block options, specifically 384-well
plates and TaqMan® Microfluidic Array Cards (that allow for the
greatest throughput).

We require a real time PCR instrument with the ability to
increase throughput and must have available at least four (4)
user-interchangeable blocks to accommodate 96-well, Fast 96-well
low volume, 384-well plates and TaqMan® Array Cards. No service
visits or re-calibration are necessary after a block change. 
This equipment allows for high throughput expandability in the
event of an outbreak response situation.  It allows us to run in
traditional 96-well and 384-well plates accommodating our
existing 4 probe-set-up with an expandable number of samples
that can be run against those probes.

To maintain protocol and data compatibility with our previous
system, we require a system that is compatible with ABI
software, protocols and data files. The instrument software must
provide raw fluorescent data and multicomponent (segregated by
dye type) data for troubleshooting of experiments. The
previously employed ABI instruments run & data files are
compatible with the QuantStudio 12K Real Time Instrument, thus
enabling us to maintain data compatibility with historical data,
which will maintain ease of use and lessen any additional
training time and costs required. The instrument must contain
on-board storage capability for maximum run protection in case
of network or power outage, thus eliminating the additional time
and cost of rerunning experiments.

The QuantStudio 12K can detect as little as one copy of target
sequence in a reaction.  This technology also has the capacity
to run digital PCR experiments, state-of-the art PCR technology
that allows for the detection of low copy-number target
sequences in mixed populations.  In addition to our routine
testing, this equipment will be used to develop testing for
mixed populations of drug resistant tuberculosis, an emerging
trend that has complicated the rapid detection of drug
resistance in tuberculosis.


SECURITY REQUIREMENT
There is a security requirement associated with this requirement.


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

PERFORMANCE/ CRITERIA/OBJECTIVES/SPECIFICATIONS
The following features of the QuantStudio 12 K make it necessary
for the applications needed by the NRCM/NML:
	The equipment must allow for our existing protocols to be
transferred over with minimal adaptation required.  The data
generated by the equipment must be compatible with our existing
data from the StepOne Plus (Life Technologies) equipment.

	The instrument must come with user-interchangeable blocks to
accommodate 96-well, Fast 96-well low volume, 384-well plates,
TaqMan® Array Cards, or OpenArray® plates. This allows for high
or low throughput options depending on the day-to-day demand for
testing.  It also allows for flexibility in our assay set-up
allowing for us to run as many or as few probes are needed for
an individual test.  

	The instrument's user-interchangeable blocks must be easily
accessible from the front of the machine to help maximize bench
space and provide tool-free block exchange capability.  This
important as the equipment will be housed where there is limited
bench space. 

	The instrument must support both traditional Real-Time PCR
assays and digital PCR.  It must be able to accommodate our
existing RT PCR assay and be expandable to new, higher
throughput assays (eg OpenArray technology) and digital PCR
applications in the future.

	The instrument must be able to run in standalone mode, without
a computer attached.  The lack of need for an external computer
has a two-fold advantage, the equipment will be located in an
area with limited bench space therefore the footprint should be
kept as small as possible.  Secondly, data can be stored
directly on the equipment eliminating the possibility of losing
data due to a computer crash or network outage.

	The instrument must be able demonstrate sensitivity down to 1
copy for all block types.  This includes the 96 and 384 well
blocks that will be used to run our existing assay. A very high
level of sensitivity is essential to the testing being provided.

	The instrument must allow for flexibility in the amount of
template material that can be added to the reaction by running
standard sized plates.  This is required as the material being
tested often has very low copy numbers of the sequence to be
detected.  Using a greater volume of template material (up to 5
µL) in these cases is required.

	The instrument must support the fluorogenic 5' nuclease assay
using TaqMan® probes, that is the NRCMs current standard and the
SYBR® Green DNA binding dye chemistry allowing for flexibility
for new assay development.

	The instrument must include a license to use the instrument
software at no additional cost that is designed to collect and
analyze the fluorescence data for all required applications.

	The instrument software must provide raw fluorescent data and
multicomponent (segregated by dye type) data that is essential
for troubleshooting of experiments. 

	The instrument software must control the instrument and analyze
instrument's data from a remote computer within the same
network.  This is very important as the NRCM lab has containment
level 3 space which is not easily accessible to the containment
level 2 space.  We MUST be able to monitor the equipment
remotely. 

	The instrument software must contain a security and auditing
module.  Auditing abilities are essential as this test will be
put forward for ISO17025 accreditation.

	The supplier must provide a basic user training session.
Support for comprehensive assay design and development,
guidelines for real-time quantitative PCR and SNP genotyping
assays, support to help solve chemistry and instrumentation
problems must be available from the supplier.



JUSTIFICATION FOR PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER
Life Technologies Inc. is the only known supplier that can
provide an Quant Studio Open Array PCR that meets all of the
mandatory performance specifications.


TRADE AGREEMENTS
The following limited tendering reasons pertain to this
requirement:

Government Contract Regulations, Part 1, Section 6(d) only one
person is capable of performing the contract.

Government 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;

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 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;


DELIVERY DATE
The equipment must be delivered on or before March 31, 2014, FOB
destination.


PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER
Life Technologies Inc.
5250 Mainway
Burlington, Ontario
L7K 5Z1
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.