Typhoon FLA7000 Biomolecular Imager

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: Interchangeable Parts
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
GE HEALTHCARE BIO-SCIENCES INC. / GE SANTE BIO-SCIENCES INC.
500 Morgan Blvd.
Baie d'Urfé Quebec
Canada
H9X3V1
Nature of Requirements: 
Marlene Hall
Supply Specialist
Telephone:  204 984-6423
E-mail:  marlene.hall@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca

File No.: 6D063-132298/A


TITLE:	TYPHOON FLA7000 BIOMOLECULAR IMAGER

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), on behalf
of Public Health Agency Canada (PHAC), intends to negotiate with
GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences Inc. for the provision of a Typhoon
FLA7000 Biomolecular Imager.

DEFINITION OF REQUIREMENT
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), National Laboratory
for HIV Reference Services (NLHRS) has a requirement for one (1)
Typhoon FLA7000 biomolecular imager for the JC Wilt Infectious
Disease Laboratory in Winnipeg.

The NLHRS (National Laboratory for HIV Reference Services)
provides HIV and HTLV (Human T-cell Leukemia Virus I/II)
serology and molecular reference services in support of testing
programs conducted by provincial ministries of health and the
Canadian Blood Services. The NLHRS provides quality assurance
programs to national and international laboratories for HIV
viral load testing, and HIV antibody testing. The laboratory is
also actively involved in the development and optimization of
new and innovative technologies. 

The NLHRS also possesses an invaluable expertise in HIV
serological and molecular testing of challenging samples
(tissue, cadaveric, dried blood specimens, etc.) for other
Canadian provinces and the Canadian Blood Services. This
requires us to deliver time sensitive results in a timely manner
in order to avoid devastating consequences for patients across
Canada.

The NLHRS is being relocated to a new laboratory in a different
province and does not possess the facilities (darkroom, drain
with a silver trap adjacent to a developer) or equipment to
develop a radiographic film. Therefore, the lab requires a
benchtop phosphor-imager to replace the chemical development of
films used in diagnostic tests that use radioactivity. The
technology used in phosphor-imaging is considered more sensitive
than current film and chemical developing, and will reduce the
use of chemicals. This 'greening' of the process will make the
protocols safer for our personnel and the environment. The
Typhoon FLA7000 biomolecular imager also images radio isotopic,
visible fluorescent, chemifluorescent, and colorimetric samples,
making it compatible with our current and diverse SOPs that
require imaging.

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

1.	The system must be able to give sensitive and quantitative
measurements of radio isotopic labels
	(3H, 11C, 14C, 125I, 18F, 32P, 33P, 35S, 99mTc), single
fluorescence (4 lasers; 473 nm, 
	532 nm, 635 nm, 650 nm), chemifluorescent Western blots as well
as digitization of colorimetric
	stains to allow for sensitive detection of products with all
methods used in our laboratory.

2.	The instrument must feature a scanning area large enough to
enable simultaneous imaging of 
	up to 12 gels or blots (8 x 10 cm). This facilitates
comparisons among blots, sample throughput
	and reduces workload and waiting time.

3.	The whole scanning area must be scanned in less than 2.5
minutes at 100 µm resolution 
	without compromising sensitivity to facilitate sample
processing in our multiuser laboratory
	environment.

4.	The instrument must generate 16-bit images at up to 25 µm
pixel resolution. The linear signal
	response must cover a span of five orders of magnitude to give
precise quantitation in gels and
	blots. This will ensure we report accurate results to our
partners.

5.	Gels must not need to be dried up to be processed on the
instrument, saving us precious time 
	in obtaining results.

6.	The instrument must allow precise quantitation of proteins,
nucleic acids, and other 
	biomolecules to allow us to use it for multiple types of
experiments.

7.	Emission filters must be easily accessible and exchangeable
without tools for attaining optimal
	imaging conditions.


JUSTIFICATION FOR PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER
GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences Inc. is the only known supplier that
can provide a Biomolecular Imager 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(a) to ensure
compatibility with existing products, to recognize exclusive
rights, such as exclusive licences, copyright and patent rights,
or to maintain specialized products that must be maintained by
the manufacturer or its representative;

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 1016.2(d) for
additional deliveries by the original supplier that are intended
either as replacement parts or continuing services for existing
suppliers, services or installations, or as the extension of
existing suppliers, services or installations, where a change of
supplier would compel the entity to procure equipment or
services not meeting requirements of interchangeability with
already existing equipment or services, including software to
the extent that the initial procurement of the software was
covered by this Chapter;

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

PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER
GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences Inc.
500 Morgan Blvd.
Baie d'Urfé, Quebec H9X 3V1
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.