Provision of a Flow Cytometer (Cell Sorter)

The Wessex Investigational Sciences Hub laboratory (WISH Lab) at the University of Southampton provides a bespoke laboratory for translational research requiring quality assurance to regulatory standards.

WISH Lab can advise on GCP compliance, quality management systems, QA/QC, method validation, documentation, assessment of tissue and blood samples from consenting patients in clinical trials, academic studies, or analytical service delivery.

The WISH lab is currently equipped with 2 flow cytometers, we require additional cell sorting capacity to accommodate the increase in clinical samples that will be processed in the WISH lab as a result of the Cancer Research UK accelerator award.

Flow cytometry/ sorting is a technology that allows simultaneous multiparametric measurements and isolation of up to thousands of cells or small particles.

Flow cytometry cell sorting is nowadays routinely used in basic research and clinical research. The constant development of more sophisticated instruments fitted with an increasing number of lasers (4 lasers is becoming the norm) allows more and more complex applications. Yellow/Green lasers have been developed more recently and allow the detection of red fluorescent proteins that were only barely detected with the previous lasers. A Yellow/Green laser, in combination with a minimum of 2 or 3 other lasers, has become a necessity to be able to carry on some of the work included in current research programs. In addition to this we also require full sorting capabilities of 12- 16 parameters with the ability to perform 4-way sorting and single cell sorting into 96 well plates.

Tenderers attention is drawn to the award criteria, full information is provided in the Invitation to Tender documentation:

Mandatory Grounds of Exclusion Pass/Fail Discretionary Grounds for Exclusion Discretionary Pass/Fail Insurances Pass/Fail Mandatory Requirements Pass/Fail Technical Specification 70% Delivery, Installation, warranty, service and training provisions 15% References 5% Commercial Response 10%

Additional information: Bidders are advised that the estimated value of this contract in its entirety is £230,000.00 GBP (excluding VAT). This value is intended to reflect the initial contract period of one year PLUS the value of any contract extensions up to a total contract term of four years.

The estimated contract value for the initial contract period is £200,000 GBP (excluding VAT)

The In-Tend Portal: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool (In-Tend: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with bidders. All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from the In-Tend portal.

Bidders are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued to organisations and all communications with the University including the submission of PQQ and/or Invitation to Tender Responses will be conducted via the In-Tend portal. Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the bidder.

If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the tender documentation.

Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on ‘Tenders’; locate the relevant project; and click ‘View Details’. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your company against the project and access all documentation by clicking ‘Express Interest’.

Bidders are advised that formal expressions of interest in the project must be by way of completion and return of the relevant Pre-Qualification (if applicable) or Invitation to Tender documents via the In-Tend portal.

Further instructions for the submission of Invitation to Tender responses are below. To submit your return, please follow the instructions below: 1. Log In 2. Click ‘Tenders’ 3. Locate the relevant project 4. View Details 5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. ‘Invitation to Tender’) 6. Click on the ‘Attach Documents’ button and upload your return. 7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the “My Tender Return” panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return. 8. Click the red “Submit Return” button.

Please note that, to preserve the integrity of the tendering procedure, all queries must made be via the correspondence function within the In-Tend portal.

In accordance with Regulation 50, paragraph (2) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and subject to Article 5 and Annex 5, Part D (13) of Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (if applicable), the University intends to publish the value of any resulting contract at the award stage, and reserves the right to do so. By submitting a tender response, bidders are consenting to publication of this information unless otherwise agreed in advance with the University.

Due to the nature of this service, it has been deemed unsuitable for division into lots.

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton/aspx/