Trade Agreement: NAFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address:
Precision NanoSystems Inc.
50-655 West Kent Avenue North
Vancouver British Columbia
Canada
V6P6T7
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.Definition of the requirement
The Natural Research Council Canada (NRC) has a requirement for the supply of one Nanoassembler Ignite Instrument with 100 classic cartridges and with installation and training.
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 product meets all of the following requirements:
a. Must enable bench scale manufacturing of on-demand nanomedicines in a quick (i.e. seconds to minutes) and consistent manner (with highly reproducible analytical parameters relating to size, charge, etc.).
b.Must allow for generation of easily scalable formulations ranging from 1-20 mL.
c. Supplier must also manufacture a large scale machine capable of easily adopting manufacturing parameters established on the to be purchased bench scale device
d. Must be controlled by a fully automated intuitive software and have readily usable technology to enable accelerated nanomedicine production and data generation
e. Must utilize advanced microfluidics technology allowing precise control over fluid flow rates to generate precisely defined nanoparticles ranging from 20 nm- 10 um with narrow size distribution.
f. Must not employ high temperature or compressed gas to produce nanoparticles as may damage encapsulated components
g. The machine must preserve time-invariant particle formation conditions, allowing for future scale up through a single mixer from ml / min to L /h without changing manufacturing conditions
h. Must have streamlined operation processes and workflow that do not include cleaning and priming steps
i. Must have automated in-line dilution capability to reduce the amount of solvent used
j. Must employ single-use disposable microfluidic cartridges to enhance control of physical and chemical environment during nanoparticle assembly
k. Must contain a third-inlet capability allowing for an expandable system where new cartridge designs enable new applications
l. The machine components must be compatible with a wide range of solvents allowing for the production of a diverse array of nanomedicine formulations
m. Software must allow for frequently used manufacturing recipes to be stored and reused, minimizing batch-to-batch and user variability
n. Must be able to formulate small molecules, peptides and, nucleic acids into lipid, polymer, oil-in-water emulsion or hybrid nanoparticles.
4.Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s)
Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
5.Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
The only known supplier of an instrument that meets all the above requirements is Precision Nanosystems, with their Nanoassemblr® Platform: the Ignite?.
The NanoAssemblrTM Platform exploits microfluidics for the rapid and controlled manufacture of nanomedicines. The NanoAssemblrTM’s utilizes both classic staggered herringbone mixing and next Generation mixing single use cartridges. The size of the particles can be precisely controlled, ranging from 20nm - 10 um. The particle sizes can also be controlled by optimizing the flow rates of the fluid streams programmed by the end user.
The NanoAssemblrTM Ignite Instrument has fully integrated, user intuitive, built-in software. No other technology on the market features the same level of automation as the NanoAssemblrTM Instruments in combination with the proprietary NanoAssemblrTM Cartridges, which represent the cornerstone of Precision NanoSystems’ intellectual portfolio. This feature also allows for ease of use and minimizes any batch to batch variability. Consequently, no other system allows for better reproducibility, faster prototyping and easier protocol transfer, making the NanoAssemblrTM product line unique and superior to any other microfluidic technology.
Precision NanoSystems Inc. is the sole manufacturer of the NanoAssemblrTM Ignite Instrument and maintains all rights to manufacture and support the NanoAssemblrTM Instrument Series, including the NanoAssemblrTM Ignite Instrument and related components. The NanoAssemblrTM Technology is protected by 6 global patents. Over 47 further patents are pending approval. As such, PNI will continue to be the only authorized source for these products with no technology licensing at any time.
The unique design details involved with the NanoAssemblrTM Technology are proprietary to Precision NanoSystems, Inc. and to the University of British Columbia. Constant vigilance is maintained to avoid release information outside of the approved Law Enforcement Agency environment.
In all, Precision NanoSystems’ Inc. NanoAssemblrTM Ignite Instrument, including all add-on software and components, is the only product matching our pre-defined needs.
6.Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)
The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) - "only one person is capable of performing the work".
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the following:
- Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - Article 513.12(b)(j)and
- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Article1016.2(b).
8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
The Nanoassembler Ignite Instrument must be delivered no later than 4 weeks following the contract award.
9.Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Precision Nanosystems
50-655 West Kent Ave North
Vancouver, B.C.
V6P 6T7
Canada
10.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.
11.Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Lyne Godbout
Supply Specialist
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Acquisitions Branch
Directorate: Commercial and Consumer Products Directorate
Address: 140 O’Connor Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R5
Telephone: 343-551-0054
E-mail: L••••••••@••••••••.••.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.
