Canada - Genetic Analysis Service (FW012-190046/A)

Description

Trade Agreement: Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
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:
University of Guelph
50 Stone RD
Biodiversity Institute of Ontario
CBG
Guelph Ontario
Canada
N1G2W1
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
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Asian Carp Program requires the species identification through metabarcode sequencing of the larval and egg sampling provided in order to accurately identify and monitor the presence and impact of Asian Carp in Canadian waters.

Asian carps are a group of aquatic invasive species that are at risk of entering the Great Lakes and causing significant ecological and socio-economic impacts. Presently, one species, the Grass Carp, has arrived in lakes Erie, Michigan and Ontario, and evidence of reproduction (i.e. eggs and/or larval fish) has been found in two tributaries of Lake Erie in Ohio waters. Although there is no evidence of reproduction in Canadian waters, Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Asian Carp Program conducts larval and egg sampling in high-risk tributaries of the Great Lakes to confirm this. This larval and egg sampling is part of a larger early detection surveillance program to detect all sizes and life stages of Asian carps in Canadian waters.

Larval fish and eggs are incredibly difficult and time consuming to identify visually. Use of genetic analysis techniques (metabarcoding) is a much faster and more accurate method to identify large volumes of larval fishes. This technique can be used to determine whether Asian carp specimens are present, and determine what other species are present. The former is important in re-focusing sampling efforts of the Asian Carp Program, and the latter is important baseline information that can be used to understand how native fish spawning activities might be affected by Asian carps.

The larval and egg sampling is conducted every June and July following high rainfall events, as this is one of the triggers that induces Asian carp spawning.

2.1. The Contractor must provide bulk genetic analysis on approximately 200 samples of approximately 20,000 larval fish with suitable primers for identifying freshwater fishes, including:

2.1.1. Metabarcoding analysis of bulk fish larvae samples including:

a. voucher transfer from whirlpack bags into standard labware for bulk lysis (when required);
b. variable/adjusted volume lysis and lysate subsampling for DNA extraction in 96-well format;
c. silica membrane-based (glass fiber) DNA extraction protocols on all samples;
d. PCR I amplification with fish specific tailed primers with variable number of replicates;
e. indexing PCR to label individual amplicons (custom plate format may be required due to variable replicates);
f. amplicon library pooling, purification and QC, and preparation of libraries for templating on Ion Chef (or equivalent);
g. sequencing of produced amplicon libraries on Ion S5 530 (or equivalent);
h. post-sequencing bionformatic analysis and reporting;
i. Sequences must be vetted against a reference library;

2.2. All services must be provided at Contractor’s facility.

2.3. The facility must have equipment with the analytical and technical capacity to process large volumes of samples in a short period of time (~3,800 specimens per day).

2.4. Deliverables

a. Bulk DNA extraction and PCR amplification with indexing of larval fish samples
b. ~200 samples containing ~20,000 larval fishes each year of contract
c. Genetic analysis of the samples must be delivered within 8 weeks of receiving the samples;
d. Voucher transfer to standard labware containers for lysis
e. Library pooling and quality control, templating and sequencing chemistry
f. Bionformatic analysis
g. Reporting on species composition through a report or database. Results of the genetic analysis (i.e. species identifications) will need to be stored in an accessible database with each sample’s unique DFO identifier, making them easily traceable for DFO biologists. Species identifications must be reported with both scientific and common names.

2.5. The genetic analysis of the received samples must be completed and delivered within 8 weeks of receiving the samples.

2.6. The Contractor must provide the services for at least a 4 year period.

3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)

3.1. Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its system meets all of the specifications identified in 2.1-2.6 under Article 2. Definition of Requirement.

3.2. The supplier must be capable of meeting requirements at the time of notice publication.

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

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

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

Species identification is carried out by comparing against an expert-validated proprietary reference database containing a primer set for fishes developed in-house. The University of Guelph’s Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding is believed to be the only facility in Canada that can deliver a project of this size with the required accuracy for Ontario freshwater fishes. The Centre offers end-to-end services, from organizing and preparing large sample sets, conducting validated genetic sequencing of DNA barcodes, analysis, data management and data storage. This primer set is used for fish identification around the world and has been cited in hundreds of peer-reviewed publications. The Centre also worked with regulatory compliance and research agencies across North America to validate their fish identification protocols. The capacity of the Centre remains unrivaled. The Centre has laboratory protocols and standard operating procedures that ensure accurate and reproducible results.

6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is 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 exclusions and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the trade agreements specified:

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) Article 513 1 (b)

8. Ownership of Intellectual Property
Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.
9. Period of the proposed contract and delivery dates

9.1. The period of the proposed contract will be from issuance to March 31st, 2024 inclusive.

9.2. Sample analysis services will be requested through Task Authorizations.

10. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the initial contract, is less than $150,000 (including GST/HST), with an estimated entire contract value for 4 years to be less than $350,000 (including GST/HST).

11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

University of Guelph
Biodiversity Institute of Ontario
50 Stone RD
CANADA, N1G 2W1

12. 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.

13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is August 13th, 2020 at 1400hrs (2:00 pm) EST.

14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

14.1. Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Melanie Gillis
Supply Specialist
Public Works and Government Services Canada
86 Clarence St, 2nd Floor
Kingston, Ontario K7L 2Y8
Telephone: 613-328-2654
E-mail: Melanie.Gillis2@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

13 August 2020

Value of contract

to be confirmed