Canada - Liquid Handler Robot (01R11-200648/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:
Formulatrix
10 Deangelo Drive
Bedford Massachusetts
United States
01730
Nature of Requirements:

Liquid Handler Robot

01R11-200648/A
Lutz, Paige
Telephone No. - (587) 335-8227 ( )
Fax No. - (780) 497-3510 ( )

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 Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has a requirement for the supply of one (1) Formulatrix Mantis Liquid Handler robot. The equipment must precisely dispense extremely small volumes of liquid into sample vials or plates for normalization of sample concentrations.

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 the following requirements:

3.1 Must be capable of dispensing small volumes, minimum 100 nanolitres
3.2 Must be capable of dispensing to both plates and sample vials as required
3.3 Must be able to dispense variable volumes to individual wells of 96 well plates for the purpose of normalizing sample concentrations
3.4 Must have a dead volume less than 10 microlitres per reagent
3.5 Requires continuous flow dispensing for large volumes up to 100 millilitres
3.6 Must be able to dispense viscous reagents and magnetic beads
3.7 Must have a small benchtop footprint: maximum 360mm x 220mm x 280mm (LxDxH)

4. APPLICABILITY OF THE TRADE AGREEMENTS TO THE PROCUREMENT

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

a. Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA); and
b. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

5. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

The proposed supplier is the manufacturer of the listed equipment. There is no known alternative meeting the minimum essential requirements listed above.

The Mantis Instrument is the only liquid handler which uses a patented microdiaphragm pump technology to provide accurate and precise non-contact delivery of nanolitre volumes of liquids into sample wells of plates or individual vials and combines all the necessary logistical requirements as described below.

Lab space for equipment is limited at Saskatoon RDC and the Mantis has an extremely small benchtop footprint compared to other liquid handling systems. The small size also means it can quickly and easily be moved to new locations without the need for technical support and recalibration. It has a large liquid dispensing range (nanolitre to millilitre volumes) and can add custom volumes to each well of a sample plate, which is an essential requirement for normalization of sample concentration and eliminates the need for multiple robots. The ability to use both sample plates and vials on the robot provides maximum flexibility and is required for the multiple workflows including DNA normalization (plates) and sequencing library construction (vials) that will use the platform. It has an extremely small dead volume, which minimizes waste of precious samples and reagents, an important consideration for some of the germplasm samples were material is limited.

6. GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REGULATION EXCEPTION

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d): Only one person or firm 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 section of the trade agreement(s) specified:

7.1 Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

Chapter Five - Government Procurement

Article 513: Limited Tendering
1. Subject to paragraphs 2 and 3, and provided that it does not use this provision for the purpose of avoiding competition among suppliers or in a manner that discriminates against suppliers of any other Party or protects its own suppliers, a procuring entity may use limited tendering in the following circumstances:
b. if the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute goods or services exist for any of the following reasons:
(ii) the protection of patents, copyrights, or other exclusive rights;
(ii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons

7.2 North American Free Trade Agreement

Part Four: Government Procurement

Article 1016: Limited Tendering Procedures
2. An entity may use limited tendering procedures in the following circumstances and subject to the following conditions, as applicable:
(b) where, for works of art, or for reasons connected with the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information or where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists;

8. PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE

The product must be delivered on or before March 31, 2020.

9. COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The estimated value of the contract is $50,654.00 CAD (plus applicable taxes).

10. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

Formulatrix
10 Deangelo Drive
Bedford MA 01730
USA

11. INQUIRIES ON SUBMISSION OF STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES

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.

12. CLOSING DATE FOR A STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES

The closing date and time for acceptation statements of capabilities is on January 7, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST).

13. INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSION OF STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Paige Lutz
Procurement Officer
Canada Place, 10th Floor
9700 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton AB, T5J 4C3

Telephone: 587-335-8227
Facsimile: 780-497-3510
E-mail address: Paige.Lutz@pwgsc-tpsgc.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

15 January 2020

Value of contract

to be confirmed