Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada-Peru FTA/Canada-Colombia FTA
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:
Becton Dickinson Canada Inc.
BD Biosciences
2100 Derry Road West
Suite 100
Mississauga Ontario
Canada
L5N0B3
Nature of Requirements:
FACS Aria III Cell Sorter System
6D063-123083/A
Barenz, Leanne
Telephone No. - (204) 983-0506 ( )
Fax No. - (204) 983-7796
TITLE: Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) instrument
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), on behalf
of the Public Health Agency of Canada, intends to negotiate with
BD Biosciences for the provision of the following:
1.1. Background and Specific Scope of the Requirement
The National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), a directorate of the
Infectious Disease and Emergency Preparedness Branch, Public
Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), is located in the Canadian
Science Centre for Human and Animal Health (CSCHAH) in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.
As Canada's leading public health infectious disease laboratory,
the NML is responsible for the identification, control and
prevention of infectious diseases. The NML's activities include
reference microbiology, support to epidemiology programs,
surveillance, emergency response, applied and discovery
research, and management of intellectual assets to improve
public health in Canada and internationally.
The Bioforensics Assay Development and Diagnostics (BADD)
section of the NML performs a number of services to protect the
public health security of Canadians, including the development
of new, innovative laboratory reagents (such as antibodies) to
improve disease detection, diagnostics, and therapeutic
capabilities in Canada. The BADD section is being proactive by
developing diagnostic tests and treatment strategies for
infectious disease threats. This includes the development of
antibodies against a number of health threats which are
important to Canada and the international public health
community. Biosafety level 3 and 4 biological agents are
considered the greatest risk to national public health security
- due to their high mortality rates, ease of transmission, and
requirement for unique public health responses. The BADD section
of the NML is taking a lead role in fulfilling the PHAC mandate
on emergency preparedness and outbreak response by proactively
developing antibodies against these threats.
Monoclonal antibodies are important tools to study microbial
pathogenesis, are important diagnostic tools, and can be used in
passive immunity and vaccine development. The generation of
monoclonal antibodies has been primarily based on the
B-cell-fusion protocol developed by Kohler and Milstein. This
method can be very time and labour consuming and can result in
low yields of the antibody in question. Recent advances in
recombinant DNA technologies have led away from cell fusion
protocols to DNA- based methods for the generation of
recombinant monoclonal antibodies. These methods involve: (1)
the identification and isolation of activated antibody producing
B-cells; (2) amplification of the immunoglobulin genes expressed
in those B-cells ; (3) expression of the immunoglobulin genes in
cell culture and; (4) isolation of the recombinant monoclonal
antibodies.
One of the essential elements of the recombinant monoclonal
antibody protocol is the identification and isolation of
specific antibody producing B-cells from a cell population.
This is done with the use of a Fluorescence Activated Cell
Sorting (FACS) instrument. The use of FACS can provide large
numbers of viable cells of a particular functional type; in this
case, specific antibody producing B-cells. In FACS, the cells
of interest in the population are fluorescently -labelled and
separated from the cell population based on fluorescence. For
the purpose of generating recombinant monoclonal antibodies,
specific antibody producing B-cells are identified by targeting
specific cell markers on the B-cell surface with a fluorescently
labelled tag. Once isolated, the immunoglobulin genes expressed
in those cells are amplified, cloned and expressed to produce
recombinant monoclonal antibodies.
It is imperative that the Monoclonal Antibody Unit at the NML
obtain this state of the art technology to produce monoclonal
antibodies. A key advantage of FACS is the ability to isolate
antibody producing cells from patients. In the event of an
outbreak, patient samples can be analyzed with the FACS, and
antibody producing cells can be rapidly identified and isolated.
The generation of antibodies against infection would be a fast
and efficient method to provide both diagnostic and therapeutic
reagents. This new technology will not only decrease the time
to produce each monoclonal antibody, but with the specific
antibody targeted from the initial isolation step with FACS, the
quality of the recombinant antibodies produced will undoubtedly
increase.
In public health emergency situations, such as bioterrorism
events, infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics, the FACS
Aria III instrument will be critical to activate the role of the
Monoclonal Antibody Unit in emergency response. Instances of
veremic or septicemic cases, the isolation of antibodies from
human blood samples will provide rapid diagnoses towards saving
lives. This new technology increases the number of antibodies
identified which thereby increases the chances of identifying a
highly effective antibody for treatment. Antibodies are critical
in therapeutic response as they target the source of infections
and increase the immune system response to infection. By
incorporating this FACS technology into the NML
diagnostic/therapeutic sample work-flow, we will contribute to
meeting PHAC strategic objectives on emergency preparedness and
response through filing capability gaps in managing public
health threats.
Specifications and Standards
In order to meet the required specifications and standards of
the National Microbiology Laboratory, the FACS Instrument will:
Require laser lines of:
20mW 488nm,
50mW 561nm, and
17mW 633nm
The instrument must be field upgradeable to accommodate up to 6
lasers including violet (405nm) and blue-violet (445nm) lasers.
The instrument must limit compensation required by having the
ability to operate with 4 lasers simultaneously through four
spatially separated beam spots.
Filters and mirrors must be user-changeable.
The instrument must have complete true fixed alignment laser
beams focusing on gel-coupled cuvette (requiring no daily
alignment for ease of use, consistency of results, short set-up
time).
Single software for QC acquisition and analysis. Software must
automatically track performance parameters with a single vial of
reagent, and automatically determine:
o Checks and adjust Laser Delays and Area Scaling Factor
o Linear Range
o Fluorescence Detector Efficiency
o Optical Background
o Electronic Noise
o Baseline PMT Voltage Settings
o Creates targets for ongoing standardization
The instrument must have user exchangeable nozzles of 70, 85,
100 and 130-µm to accommodate a wide range of particle sizes.
Instrument should maintain fixed stream alignment, match
pressure settings, drop drive frequency, amplitude and laser
delays when nozzles are changed.
The instrument must have sample input agitation.
The instrument must have the ability to flush the sample
injection port inside and outside to minimize carry-over between
samples.
The instrument must have the ability to sort samples onto slides
and plates (6, 24, 48, 96 and 384 well plates).
The Instrument must have sample input temperature control
software adjustable to: 4 oC, 20 oC, 37 oC and 42oC.
Instrument must have self-contained fluidics cart with an
autoclavable 10L sheath container; no air or vacuum required.
Software must control automated start-up and shut-down, flow
cell cleaning and prepare for aseptic sort.
Must be delivered on or before March 28, 2013.
The only product that can meet our required specifications of a
FACS instrument is the BD Biosciences FACSAria III cell sorter.
The latest Aria III instrument would give the Monoclonal
Antibody unit the ability to produce recombinant monoclonal
antibodies, and can also be used for other applications
requiring FACS.
The following limited tendering reasons pertain to this
requirement:
The following trade agreements are applicable to this
procurement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT
Government Contract Regulations, Part 1, Section 6(d) only one
supplier (person or firm) is capable of performing the contract.
Article 506.12(b) of AIT, Article 1016: Limited Tendering
Procedures of NAFTA, and Article XV: Limited Tendering of
WTO-AGP are applicable as this requirement can be fulfilled by
only one supplier.
Estimated Cost: $430,000.00 - $450,000.00 (GST not included)
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.
