HL18-023 - Molecular Imager

Brock University (“the University”) has a requirement for a Molecular Imager (Amersham Typhoon 5)
 
The purpose of this Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is to signal the University’s intention to award a contract for the above-noted goods and/or services to the following pre-selected supplier:
 
GE Healthcare
2300 Meadowvale Blvd., G27
Mississauga, ON L5N 5P9 Canada
www.gehealthcare.com/lifesciences
 
Prior to awarding this contract, the University is providing other potential suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate that they are capable of satisfying the requirements as per this ACAN, by submitting a Statement of Capabilities during the posting period. If other potential suppliers submit a Statement of Capabilities that meet the University’s requirements as set out in the ACAN, the University may proceed to a competitive procurement process. If no other supplier submits a Statement of Capabilities on or before the closing date/time, a contract may be awarded to the above-noted pre-selected supplier.

Background  
Required is a ‘facility’ type instrument that meets a multitude of imaging needs now and into the foreseeable future, with the highest performance specifications possible across imaging modalities. With space limitations and the need to centralize access to a single instrument, what is required is an imager that has three-to-four high quality modalities/functions in a single unit.

Minimum Supplier Qualifications  
Specifications shall be demonstrated/documented based on established use of the instrument, internationally, for at least a few years. There should be international research sites that can fully attest to satisfactory performance in terms of all the specifications/criteria noted.

Specifications  
The instrument must demonstrate the following specifications:

1. Flexibility in terms of what can be imaged (including large electrophoresis gels, blots, TLC plates, glass slides, and microplates);
2. Large imaging area: minimum 40X40 cm of uniform imaging quality;
3. Be 16-bit or higher to ensure high-resolution quantitative imaging and thus;
4. Have common data output options that enable full transfer of data to multiple different potential downstream analysis programs;
5. Fully support imaging at pixel sizes ranging from at least 10 - 200 μm;
6. Be laser-based in terms of excitation sources to ensure (i) sufficient power and specificity for highest sensitivity detection, particularly from 2D gels; and (ii) enable multi-spectral imaging;
7. Have at least 5-6 laser sources including mandatory laser lines at 685 and 785 nm;
8. Enable swapping of the high-intensity excitation sources, allowing for customization and thus long-term flexibility and multiplexing capacity;
9. Have several emission filters and the capacity for relatively simple swapping of these, or the capacity to select from multiple installed filters (to be user-determined before delivery) to ensure long-term flexibility and multiplexing capacity;
10. Have a high-sensitivity detector(s) with high quantum efficiency offering maximal sensitivity, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio, with the capacity to select different sensitivities depending on the samples being assessed;
11. Demonstrable capacity to enable a dynamic range of five orders of magnitude, or more;
12. Fully enable detection modes that minimally including fluorescence (UV, Vis, IR), phosphorimaging, and densitometry;
13. Have full software support for instrument operations;
14. Have a minimum two-year full warranty, a reasonable longer-term warranty package, and unlimited training options for the life of the instrument.