This Request for Proposal (“RFP”) is an invitation to prospective Proponents to submit Proposals for the provision of an intuitive and easy-to-use fermentation system optimized for the expression of human proteins in medium-to-large-scale cultures of the budding yeast Sacchoromyces cerevisiae. The instrument will be installed in a laboratory at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
General Description:
The fermentor must be optimized for the controlled overexpression of human proteins in medium-to-large-scale cultures of the budding yeast Sacchoromyces cerevisiae. It must have a working volume range of approximately 7L to at least 30L. The fermentor must be capable of sterilization in place (SIP) without an external (i.e., University/facility-provided) source of steam, and allow the growth of yeast in a fully sterile culture environment. The user base won’t comprise of pharmaceutical or industry experts; therefore, the fermentor must be operated by an intuitive software controlled by an easy-to-use touchscreen interface, appropriate for use by most biological scientists and technicians working in an academic environment, without the need to undergo extensive training. The fermentor system should have a strong and demonstrable track record of success for growth of Sacchoromyces cerevisiae cultures in an academic environment.
Minimum Mandatory Requirements:
1.General Requirements for Fermentor
1.1 System must be mounted on wheels to ease accessibility around the fermentation unit.
1.2 System must be equipped with a touch screen control panel integrated into the unit (for rapid/on-site adjustment of culture parameters).
1.3 System must provide advanced operational capabilities with control tools and programmation features sufficiently simple to be intuitive to most biological scientists and technicians working in an academic environment. Specifically, the intuitive nature of the system must enable a typical untrained/inexperienced user in academia to be fully proficient in system operation after a training session of 3 hours or less.
1.4 All fermentor parts in contact with culture medium/liquid must be made of stainless steel 316L.
1.5 Fermentor must have sterilization in place (SIP) capacity without a need for an external (i.e., University/facility-provided) source of steam.
1.6 If sterilization is achieved via a system-integrated steam generator, the steam generator must have a stainless steel chamber 15KW.
1.7 When installed by a licensed professional and connected to prescribed utilities, the fermentor system must be fully operational (as quoted) for growth of sterile cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisia and Pichia pastoris.
1.8 Noise emission must be less than 70 dB.
2.Electrical requirement
2.1 The bioreactor must accommodate electrical requirements: 120V, 15A, 60hz, 1 phase OR 208V, 30A, 60hz, 3 phase.
2.2 If sterilization is achieved via a system-integrated steam generator: the steam generator must not require higher than 208V, 30A, 60hz, 3 phase.
3.Control Units and Sensors
3.1 Control system must have 4 pumps minimum with the possibility of adding 2 more integrated in the unit.
3.2 System must be able to control temperature, pH, pCO2, RPM, redox, pressure, foam, gas flow, optical density, biomass (via capacitance probe) and up to 3 feed pumps.
3.3 Sensor for pH measurement must reliably detect a range of at least 2 – 12 pH (lower limit up to 2 - higher limit of 12).
3.4 Sensor for DO measurement must reliably detect a range 0.05% – 100% or greater.
3.5 The control panel must allow flexible programming (manual up to fully automatic operation) with advanced control strategies (sequence editor with integrated/self-explanatory control loops).
3.6 Impeller control must allow agitation speeds ranging from at least 20 to 600 rpm.
3.7 Temperature control must allow culture conditions 8°C above coolant (or less) and up to at least 70°C.
3.8 System must have air and O2 supplement via gas mix and mass flow controller.
3.9 Must have pH control via acid, base pump or CO2.
3.10 Must be upgradable on-site (without moving parts to different location).
4.Vessel
4.1 Must have a working volume of at least 30L, but no more than 50L.
4.2 Vessel must be made of 316L stainless steel.
4.3 Must have 316L stainless steel double jacket.
4.4 Top plate must be made of stainless steel 316L.
4.5 Must have adjustable Rushton impeller.
4.6 Must have 3 x 6 blade Rushton impeller.
4.7 Must be able to sustain operation at a pressure of up to 3bar.
4.8 Must have sterile culture sampling system (steam-sterilizable OR alternative single-use system).
5.Software and automation
5.1 If a software licence is required to operate unit, it must be provided with the system.
5.2 Software must provide flexible programming capabilities (manual up to fully automatic operation for multi-step protocols) implemented via a visual/graphics interface that can be fully understood and operated by most biological scientists working in academia after a training session of 3 hours or less.
5.3 Connectivity: Software must allow connection and management of any number of bioreactors and analyzers.
5.4 User management systems must include a) computer-based access control [IP] and b) secure password.
5.5 Data and information management must allow group-wide (multi-user) sharing of data and procedures.
5.6 Software must allow search, sorting, and filtering of functions.
5.7 Software must allow data import and export.
5.8 Reporting features must allow users to:
• Report planned experiments and/or batches with all recipe information
• Generate customizable reports of completed batches and experiments
• Generate detailed reports and PowerPoint presentations from user results at the touch of a button.
5.9 Must have automatic data logging.
6.Other Requirements
6.1 Must include installation, as well as calibration and verification of performance at time of initial system start-up.
6.2 Must include on-site user training.
6.3 Must include at least two (2) years warranty on parts and labor.
6.4 Packaged equipment must not exceed dimensions of 36” W x 82” H, which is the narrowest hallway dimension from the receiving dock to the lab.
6.5 Packaged equipment must not exceed max elevator load limit of 2268 kg.
6.6 Equipment must be CSA certified / compliant.
Rated Criteria:
1. Performance and Robustness
1.1 Describe the supplier’s track record for producing high-quality research equipment for the Canadian academic research environment. Include the number of units of the proposed product that have been sold in the Canadian academic research environments (i.e., not industrial/pharmaceutical environments).
1.2 Describe the expected lifetime of the system given regular use and user maintenance.
1.3 Describe the developmental stage of the proposed system (i.e., equipment represents the most recent development for its class, an update/upgrade of an older generation system, or an aging system/technology).
1.4 Describe the specifications of the fermentation system that exceed the minimal requirements in the following areas (a, b, c), at no extra cost, thus providing added performance to the product:
a) Working Volume
(minimum is 30L)
b) Pumps
(minimum is 4)
c) Operating Software
(can a free/unlimited licence be offered?)
2. Maintenance
2.1 Describe your ability to provide additional extended warranty at no extra cost.
2.2 Describe what is included in the warranty (i.e., preventative maintenance, cost of parts, repairs, replacements, travels, shipping, technical support, software upgrades, etc).
3. Operation
3.1 User-friendliness: Describe in detail how the fermentation system is simple to use and requires little training for most users to operate the equipment at a competent level (typical user will be biological scientists and technicians working in an academic environment).
4. Support
4.1 Describe the response time, available hours, and quality of technical support.
4.2 Describe the ability of company to support and train laboratory staff in both official languages (English and French).
4.3 Describe the willingness of company to provide continuous training of laboratory staff and trainees on the instrument at no extra cost.
