Automated Large-Scale Ultra-Low Temperature Biological Sample Archive

UKB is seeking a supplier that can provide a new Archive (taking responsibility for design, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and training), the provision of related IT systems, maintenance and other support services. The Archive will be installed on the ground floor of a new UKB facility in the City of Manchester, UK (the 'Facility'). Facility practical completion is planned by early 2026. The Archive will need to satisfy Factory and Site Acceptance Tests, including Installation Qualification, Operational Qualification and Performance Qualification. The Archive may consist of one or more separate modules, and such modules may be delivered in phases. Following satisfaction of Operational Qualification, UKB will load 11 million samples from its existing facility and be responsible for the operation of the Archive. The Archive must have sufficient capacity to accommodate 20 million samples (with expansion to 30 million samples if required by UKB during the contract) and design requirements will include spatial efficiency, fit with the Facility design, sample storage temperatures and environmental efficiency. The Archive must be electrically cooled to preserve samples at ultra-low temperature and ultra-dry humidity (minus 80 degrees C) with dual redundancy, with backup cooling provided by a supply of liquid nitrogen. The Archive must use 96-position SBS-format racks, be compatible with UKB's current and future labware and have resilient robotic automation for picking and returning samples and sufficient throughput to meet UKB's sample processing requirements (retrievals of up to 500,000+ samples combined with smaller requests, daily loading of new samples, return of retrieved samples after laboratory processing and consolidation (defragmentation) of empty spaces). The IT system (all hardware, software and management components required to support the operation and management of the Archive) must be provided by the supplier. The system requirements include the ability to maintain an accurate inventory of labware (and therefore samples) stored at all times; functionality for operation and management of the Archive by UKB laboratory and facilities staff; be highly configurable by UKB (e.g. role-based access to data and functionality; logging; and alerts); and support integration with UKB's laboratory information and other systems programmatically through, for example, secure API based services. The supplier will be required to provide ongoing support services including on-site engineering support personnel to respond to Archive errors, faults and failures; supply of spares to ensure the Archive remains operational and meets UKB's requirements, some of which must be stored on-site at UKB's premises; remote monitoring of the Archive by the supplier to support timely notification to UKB of errors or failures; maintenance and support of the IT system including preventative maintenance. Full details are on the mytenders website.

Additional information: UK Biobank intends to hold a virtual information session for all potential bidders. This session will be on the afternoon of Wednesday 20th Sept 2023, with the time and final details to be confirmed. A video of the session will be made available after the session. If you would like to attend please send the e-mail addresses of delegates to [email protected] by Noon (UK time) on Tuesday 19th Sept 2023. UKB reserves the right to discontinue or delay the procurement process and may decide not to award a contract as a result of this call for competition. UKB shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any organisation in considering and/or responding to the procurement process. Tenders and supporting documents must be priced in pounds sterling and all payments made under the contract will be in pounds sterling, unless otherwise advised.

The estimated contract value for the purchase of the Archive and associated IT system and the provision of support services for an initial period of 5 years may be in the range of 15,000,000 - 20,000,000 GBP. The contract will include an optional deliverable whereby UKB can elect to increase the sample storage capacity of the Archive by a further 10 million samples. If the contract for support services is extended for the maximum fifteen (15) year period and if the option for additional storage capacity is exercised by UKB, the overall value of the contract may be in the region of 25,000,000 - 30,000,000 GBP. However, given the bespoke nature of this opportunity and UKB may not exercise its right to extend (on one or more occasions) and/or may not exercise the option to increase the storage capacity, it is difficult for UKB to predict the likely estimated overall value of the contract which may therefore be lower or higher than the range stated.

UKB will incorporate a standstill period at the point the decision in relation to the award of the contracts is notified to bidders. The standstill period, which will be a minimum of ten (10) calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful bidders to lodge an appeal in regards to the award decisions, before the contracts are entered into.

Tenderers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems