Canada - Biosafety cabinets (M7594-201816/A)

Description

Trade Agreement: NAFTA / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address:
Labconco Corporation
8811 Prospect Avenue
Kansas City Missouri
United States
64132
Nature of Requirements:

Biosafety cabinets

M7594-201816/A
Barnett, Delaney
Telephone No. - (613) 327-5986 ( )

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 Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a requirement for the initial supply of Six (6) Biological Safety Cabinets as well as the option to purchase up to an additional twelve (12) cabinets all including delivery, onsite moving, uncarting, installation, proper certification of the units at the laboratory site and warranty. The initial contract period will be for one year from contract award with the option to renew for an additional three (3) one year periods.

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/equipment/system (as appropriate) meets all of the following requirement:

The detailed specifications for these Biological Safety Cabinets are as follows:

A) NSF Qualification – Biosafety cabinets, Class II, Type A2 must meet or exceed the minimum requirements of the NSF/ANSI standard 49, bear the NSF Mark, and appear in NSF’s Official Product Listings.

B) The Class II, Type A2 biosafety cabinet must carry the ETL listed mark for CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 61010-1, Canadian Standards Association, Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control and Laboratory Use.

C) Telescoping Supporting Base Stands must be adjustable for eight static height positions allowing the work surface height to be set between 30” and 37”, come with leg levelers, constructed of powder coated steel square tubing, include a full width storage shelf, and seismic restraints with anchor bolts for floor mounting.

D) Dimensions: The biosafety cabinet must be capable of transport through a 32” wide door opening. The overall exterior dimensions (excluding Base Support) must be 6’ nominal width: 78.3” w x 61.7” h x 31.2” d and the overall interior dimensions must be 6’ nominal width: 72.5” w x 61.7” h x 25.6” d.

E) Biosafety Cabinet Exterior must have an exterior front panel that slopes approximately 10° and has no visibility-interfering protrusions.

F) The HEPA filters must be removable from the front of the cabinet, and cabinet must be designed such that all major service operations can be performed from the front of the cabinet. A steel diffuser must be mounted on top of the biosafety cabinet to promote proper exhaust airflow and protect the Exhaust HEPA filter. The exterior panels must be constructed of powder-coated, 18 gauge cold rolled steel.

G) Biosafety Cabinet Interior must be of unitized single-frame construction of 16 gauge, Type 304 stainless steel and shall pass factory test for holding pressure of 2” w.g. as per NSF/ANSI Standard 49. The cabinet assembly must be constructed such that all positive pressure contaminated plenums are surrounded by negative pressure plenums. The drain trough beneath the work tray must be equipped to accommodate a 3/8” ball-type drain valve. It must have an internal air balancing system that is accessible from the outside of the biosafety cabinet and adjustable with a standard hex-nut driver. The positive pressure, contaminated plenum must be permanent in construction, telescoping steel and provide uniform HEPA filter loading. Flexible, consumable plasticized plenums are not acceptable. The Work Surface must be 18 gauge or greater, type 304 stainless steel, consists of a single piece, stamped, construction with no welding, applied sealant or solder used to seal any surface. A metallic diffuser screen must promote true laminar air flow. The cabinet must be double wall construction with negative pressure airflow from drain pan to top surrounding the back of work area.

H) The motor must be a thermally protected, DC-ECM type with resilient mounted bearings. Motors with bushings are not acceptable. Motor mounting system must consist of 16 gauge, stamped steel legs with integral vibration isolation. Motor-blower must be positioned so as to promote even filter loading, thereby prolonging the life of HEPA filters. Motor-blower must automatically handle HEPA filter pressure equal to 200% of initial pressure without reducing total air delivery by more than 2%.

I)The blower assembly must be direct drive powered by a ¾ HP Electronically Commutated Motor (ECM) that is programmed with the Constant Airflow Profile (CAP) algorithm to deliver a precise volume of air as required and automatically adjusts as filters load without relying on airflow sensors and protected from voltage (electrical) fluctuation. Systems using air (velocity or volume) sensors or pressure transducers to control blower speed are not acceptable. Motor mounting system must consist of 16 Gauge, stamped steel legs with integral vibration isolation. Blower must have an optimally determined forward-curved fan for each model size/width to maximize both energy efficiency and filter loading capacity.

J) The calculated air velocity must be 100 to 110 fpm through a 10” sash opening with audible alarms which sound when safety glass sash window is not at its proper operating height. The measured down flow velocity must be 50 to 60 fpm measured 4” above operating sash opening height and must be true laminar (uniform) down flow as defined in NSF/ANSI Standard 49.

K) Airflows and foils: Bottom of sash opening (Air Inlet Grille) must be an aerodynamic, radiused foil to ensure smooth, even flow of air into biosafety cabinet. Air inlet grille must have perforations on the leading edge to draw air into the biosafety cabinet should the operator inadvertently block the grille area. Corner posts must be designed to be aerodynamic to ensure smooth, even flow of air into the sides of the sash opening on the biosafety cabinet. A negative pressure channel must exist at the top of the sash opening to prevent loss of containment at the top of the sash. Mechanical wipers at the top of the work area promote the creation of hazardous aerosols and are not acceptable.

L) Sash Assembly must be ¼ “ thick, single pane, tempered safety glass and angled 10° from vertical and be of a sliding operation. Sash must be capable of being closed when cabinet is not in operation. Sash must fully open to a height of 22.6”.Total sash height must provide a viewing window that is no less than 27.0” tall. A sash position indicator must identify to the user where the sash is to be open to its optimum operating level. Sash must not require removal for routine filter or motor/blower service. Bottom edge of sash must be frameless and ground to a smooth edge so as to not disrupt line of sight. Framed sashes are not acceptable. Sash must be interlocked to cabinet operation such that the biosafety cabinet will alarm (audio & visual) when the sash is opened beyond its nominal height when the blower is in operation. The unit must have guides capable of holding the sash in place regardless of position and cushion sash with bumpers when fully opened or closed. Maximum force required to operate sash must not exceed 7 lbs.

M) Controls and Displays: Cabinet must utilize a microprocessor control system. A Control panel with easy-to-clean membrane touchpad for system operations (blower, lights, mute) and Operating System navigation must be mounted on the front of the cabinet. Touchpad controls must be within reach while seated. Controls mounted above the sash are not acceptable. Display mustbe mounted in a position where it is in line-of-sight while seated at the cabinet and can be viewed without strain to the operator. Display must be Digital LCD and communicate cabinet status, HEPA filter life, alarms and cabinet set up. Analog pressure gauges do not adequately provide user communication adequate to specific to cabinet function and are not acceptable. Operating System must be easy to use/navigate and must perform the following Functions: User Programmable and customizable biosafety cabinet operation (including blower, light, and timer functions) controllable by movement and position of the Safety Glass Sash, options that idles the motor in a reduced flow mode, reducing energy consumption by over 80% while maintaining ISO Class 5 conditions, Digital 12- or 24-hour clock, HEPA filter life is displayed as a percentage using real time feedback from the ECM-blower’s performance. HEPA filter life timers are not acceptable. The unit must have complete diagnostic and troubleshooting functionality, security password protection of cabinet use, programmable timed operation of fluorescent light, password protected service menu for calibration and configuration of biosafety cabinet installation and operational parameters, and selectable units of measure (Imperial or Metric).

N) Alarms and Alerts – The cabinet must provide both an audio signal and digital display that communicates and describes the alarm condition, provides corrective actions and utilizes a cross sectional diagram highlighting the potentially affected areas of the biosafety cabinet. The digital display of alert or alarm status must be displayed on a line of sight (while seated) color display. Alarms must exist for the following four conditions: Sash Height Alarm – indicating that the sash is higher than its nominal set point, Airflow Alert – signifies that the automatically adjusting blower has had to make an abrupt change in order to maintain safe airflow, Airflow Alarm – indicates that inflow or down flow velocities are excessively high or low, System Error – Indicates a failure in the communication between the microprocessor controller and the ECM blower.

O) Ergonomics: The biosafety cabinet must be ergonomically designed for maximum user comfort and adjustability. Safety Glass Sash Assembly must be anti-racking and counterbalanced with a weight and pulley system allowing for effortless movement up and down with one hand. Sash must open to 21.7”. Spring-loaded sash counterbalances require greater force as the sash raises and exerts force against the user’s arms, this design is not acceptable. Air Inlet Grille must have a large (greater than 2”) integrated curved armrest to provide comfort for user when in a resting position while maintaining containment performance. Hard and sharp angles and elevated add-on arm/elbow rests promote poor ergonomic posture and are not acceptable. Maximum visibility into cabinet work zone must be at least 27” from front access airfoil to exterior light housing. The biosafety cabinets work surface must have easy-lift knobs located on the front corners and be removable through the front opening. The stamped dish must have coved corners for easy cleaning. The digital display must be positioned line-of-sight while seated at the biosafety cabinet and communicate cabinet status and programming in full intuitive sentences.

P) Noise: Biosafety cabinet must operate at no more than 63 dBA measured 15 inches above the work surface and 12 inches in front of the safety glass sash as stated by NSF/ANSI standard 49. The biosafety cabinet must operate at or lower than 490 Watts and 1672 BTU-HR. During periods of non-use, the cabinet’s set back mode must operate at an 85% reduction in energy consumption. Fluorescent lighting must be externally mounted from the work zone, energy efficient, and replaceable from front of the biosafety cabinet.

Q) Electrical: A 10’ 3-wire cord and plug must be provided to connect to electrical supply. 6’ 115V models must be provided with an IEC 60320 connector and NEMA 5-20 plug. Two internal Electrical Outlet Duplexes must be standard, one mounted on each side wall. Outlets mounted on the rear wall of the work area are not acceptable. Duplexes must be mounted flush to the stainless steel side walls of the biosafety cabinet’s interior for ease of cleaning; Duplexes must have a self-closing stainless steel splash cover with dampened (slowed action) operation for safe operator use. Splash covers must fully close in 1 second or greater. Un-dampened, spring-loaded doors are not acceptable. Duplexes must be located in compliance with wheelchair accessibility. 115V model receptacles must be NEMA 5-15. All major electronic components (ballasts, starters, switches, circuit breakers) must be housed in a removable module for service or testing and be accessible from the front. Wiring Harness must be color coded and alphanumerically labeled for identification. Removable wire tags shall not be used. Biosafety Cabinet must have two separate internal circuits with breaker protection, one for service of controls, lighting and blower motor; another one for internal electrical outlets. Biosafety Cabinet shall have optional dry relay contacts for connection to building management system.

R) HEPA filters: There must be one supply and one exhaust HEPA filter each. Each HEPA filter must be a minimum of 99.9% efficient on all particles 0.3 micrometers as scan tested with DOP or equivalent and be industry-standard size. Filters must be borosilicate glass, mini-pleat, and separator-less HEPA filters. Filter frames must be aluminum with closed cell neoprene gaskets.

4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s):

o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
o World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
o North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The only known supplier of Biological Safety Cabinets that meet all the above requirements is Labconco Corporation. For this reason, it is proposed to negotiate this requirement with Labconco Corporation or an authorized reseller.

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:

o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) – Article 513.12(b)(j);
o North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – Article1016.2(b); and
o World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) –Article XIII – Limited Tendering (b, iii.)

8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

o The equipment should be delivered within 8 weeks from contract award.

9. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Labconco Corporation
8811 Prospect Avenue
Kansas City, MO
64132

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:

Delaney Barnett

Title: Supply Officer
Public Works and Government Services Canada

Address: 140 O’Connor Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R5
Telephone: 613-327-5986
E-mail: Delaney.Barnett@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.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.

Opportunity closing date

14 February 2020

Value of contract

to be confirmed