UK Research & Innovation: UKRI-2399 High Specification Flow Cytometer Cell Sorter (minimum 6 lasers)

UK-Swindon: Cytometers.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             UK Research & Innovation
             Polaris House, Swindon, SN2 1FL, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 7593602434, Email: mrcprocurement@ukri.org
             Contact: Procurement Manager - MRC LMB
             Main Address: www.ukri.org
             NUTS Code: UKH12
      I.2) Joint procurement
      The contract involves joint procurement: No.
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not provided       
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: Yes.
      I.3) Communication
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Cytometers./TB67EP83TB
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Cytometers./TB67EP83TB to the abovementioned address       
      Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at: Not provided
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Body governed by public law
      I.5) Main activity
            Health

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: UKRI-2399 High Specification Flow Cytometer Cell Sorter (minimum 6 lasers)       
      Reference Number: Not provided
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      38434510 - Cytometers.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SUPPLIES
      II.1.4) Short description: The LMB Flow Cytometry Unit wish to purchase a high specification, high throughput flow cytometer cell sorter with a minimum of 6 spatially separated lasers and a minimum of 30 fluorescence channels that is housed under a certified Class II biocontainment hood. The flow cytometer cell sorter should provide increased resolution and flexibility to sort a wide range of particles, bacteria and cell types (both primary and cultured) in various formats including 4 way or 6-way sorting, and in 96 and 384 well formats.

The goal is to provide a communal cell sorter to support research in areas of artificial biology requiring chromosome sorting for the rewriting of the human genome. Customizable options in nozzle size and pressure settings will allow purification of sensitive cell types such as neurons and single-cell organoid suspensions, facilitating downstream functional experimentation.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 608,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      Not Provided       
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UKH12 Cambridgeshire CC
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: The LMB Flow Cytometry Unit intend to purchase and install a high specification flow cytometer cell sorter, equipped with a high throughput plate sorting option, housed under a certified Class II microbiological safety hood and operating a minimum of 6 different wavelength spatially separated lasers in order to perform purification and fractionation of various cell types and particles utilising a broad range of fluorescent markers.

Objectives

1.The cell sorter should be equipped with 6 high-powered, spatially separated lasers with the following excitation wavelengths and powers; 349-355nm (100mW), 405nm (100mW), 445nm (100mW), 488nm (100mW), 561nm (100mW), 637-640nm (100mW).
2.The cell sorter should be housed under a certified Class II biocontainment system.
3.The cell sorter should be outfitted with a fluorescence unmixing and/or compensation algorithm to separate and correct for spectral overlap of individual signatures of highly overlapping fluorochromes or fluorescent proteins.
4.The cell sorter should be capable of achieving a signal processing rate of 70,000 events per second (eps) for analysis and the ability to sort particles at high purity (≥99%) at flow rates ≥20,000 particles per second.
5.The cell sorter should be able to detect and distinguish small particles from noise using the side scatter detector (SSC) as low as 200nm.
6.The cell sorter should be outfitted with a high-throughput plate option, capable of sorting single cells/particles in a wide range of plate formats including customized, 6, 12, 24, 96, and 384 well.
7.The cell sorter should be upgradable to include additional lasers such as 375nm, 532nm, 594nm, 795-808nm.
8.The cell sorter should come equipped with a temperature control option for both the sample input and collection device from 4-42oC.

Maintenance contract (parts and labour) should be detailed in years 3, 4 and 5 after successful installation following expiry of the requested 2-year warranty period.
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Criteria below
            Quality criterion - Name: Conformance to the specification / Weighting: 55
            Quality criterion - Name: Social Value Model / Weighting: 10
            Quality criterion - Name: Warranty / Weighting: 5
            Quality criterion - Name: Seventh Laser offering / Weighting: 10
                        
            Cost criterion - Name: Price / Weighting: 20
                              
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 603,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 23/01/2023 / End: 23/01/2024       
      This contract is subject to renewal: No       
      Description of renewals: Not provided
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       No             
      Description of options: Not provided
      II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues:
      Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue: No
      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds:
      The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No       
      Identification of the project: Not provided             
      II.2.14) Additional information: To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/respond/TB67EP83TB       


Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
   III.1) Conditions for participation
      III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
      List and brief description of conditions:          
      Not Provided       
      III.1.2) Economic and financial standing          
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents       
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :       
      Not Provided    
      III.1.3) Technical and professional ability    
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided      
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :          
      Not Provided   
      III.1.5) Information about reserved contracts (if applicable)   
      The contract is reserved to sheltered workshops and economic operators aiming at the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons: No       
      The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No    
      
   III.2) Conditions related to the contract
         
      III.2.2) Contract performance conditions          
      Not Provided          
      III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
      Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract: No

Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1) Description OPEN
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Open   
   
   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system    
         The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO    
         In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided    
   
   
   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
      An electronic auction will be used: No
      Additional information about electronic auction: Not provided
   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes       
   IV.2) Administrative information
      IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
         Notice number in the OJ S: Not provided       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 16/12/2022 Time: 15:00
            
      IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English,       
      IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender: Not Provided      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 16/12/2022
         Time: 15:00
      

Section VI: Complementary Information
   VI.1) Information about recurrence
   This is a recurrent procurement: No    
   Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Not provided
   VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
   Electronic ordering will be used No       
   Electronic invoicing will be accepted Yes       
   Electronic payment will be used No       
   VI.3) Additional Information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Cytometers./TB67EP83TB

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/respond/TB67EP83TB
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             UK Research and Innovation
       Polaris House, Swindon, SN2 1FL, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 7593602434, Email: mrcprocurement@ukri.org
       Internet address: www.ukri.org
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
Not provided
   VI.4.3) Review procedure
   Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:    
    Not Provided    
   VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
Not provided
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 16/11/2022

Annex A