43247-9A-RFP - Multimode Plate Reader

This Request for Proposals (the “RFP”) is an invitation by the University of Ottawa (the “University”) to prospective proponents to submit proposals for Multimode Plate Reader, as further described in Appendix D (RFP Particulars) Section A (the “Deliverables”).
The requested Plate Reader is a critical piece of infrastructure required to assess several biological endpoints across biological levels of organization. The multimode plate reader will allow us to quantify whole embryo/larval endpoints (colorimetric/fluorometric assay-based assessment of energy balance), biochemical endpoints (enzyme kinetics) and molecular endpoints (metabolite quantification) in petri dish to 96 well plates.
The multimode plate reader must allow fluorometric, luminometric and spectrophotometric measurements in different well format including but not limited to 96 well plates. Additionally, the reader must allow for screening whole organism larval zebrafish (0-7dpf) for relevant fluorescent and luminometric assay-based endpoints. Finally, the multimode reader must allow us to assess standard metabolites (e.g. lipids, amino acids, glucose assays), enzyme kinetics and enzyme activity endpoints in tissue homogenates.
The multimode plate reader must allow for automated fluorometric and spectrophotometric measurements. The reader should have a high enough imaging resolution to discern specific anatomic details in zebrafish larvae (0-7 dpf) (e.g. ingestion of labelled food in gastrointestinal tract, labelled structures in transgenic lines (pancreas) using standard fluorescent wavelengths (GFP, mCherry, mCardinal). It must be temperature controlled, capture images in real-time for time-lapse analysis and must be compatible with 96 well format, as well as other well format such as 6 or 12.
 

1. Delivery Schedule 

1. 1. The equipment outlined in this document shall be guaranteed to be delivered to specified location at the University of Ottawa at 10 Marie Curie, D’Iorio Building, Room 221.  The University is anticipating that the equipment or component will be delivered and installed by June 2025 or a date that has been agreed to with the successful proponent. The delivery schedule is tentative and may be subject to change at the University’s sole discretion, based on lab construction/renovation progress, at no extra cost. The University of Ottawa Loading Dock Map can be found at the following link: Loading Dock Map.

1. 2. It is the responsibility of the successful proponent to coordinate the delivery of the completed system with the University Contact.  

1. 3. The University of Ottawa is requesting proponents to provide, as an option, inside delivery service at the final location. The equipment will be located at 10 Marie Curie, D’Iorio Building, Room 221. Please refer to (Appendix H – Current Facilities Landscape). Proponents are encouraged to contact the University of Ottawa’s representative of the RFP for further details.

2. Shipping and delivery:

1. 1. The successful proponent shall provide the proposed delivery date and time in writing to the Contracting Authority fourteen (14) calendar days in advance. Deliveries are exclusively by appointment. The successful proponent shall ensure that all necessary tools and equipment for installation are included with the shipment. The shipment shall include comprehensive, clear, accurate, and easily accessible documentation including user manuals and installation guides. Delivery shall include all equipment to the final designated location at no additional cost to the University.  The successful proponent will develop contingency plans addressing any potential delivery delay or  obstacles. The successful proponent shall maintain open communication with the University to advise of any changes to the delivery or installation schedule and propose alternative solutions to minimize disruption in case of emergencies.  

2. 2. At the time of delivery of the equipment, the successful proponent must supply the RFP Contracting Authority with one complete and unabridged set of service manuals, operator manuals, electronic schematics, and troubleshooting documentation for the model purchased. The manuals and documentation shall contain identical diagnostic codes and service commands to those available to the Successful proponent’s representatives. At no additional cost, the University of Ottawa will receive all upgrades and revisions of the manuals, schematics, and other documentation provided, as they become available to the proponent.  
3. Location Requirements:
   1. The successful proponent shall obtain detailed information about the installation site, including dimensions and any environmental considerations. The successful proponent shall ensure that the equipment is compatible with the designated space and infrastructure; and request and coordinate site visits if necessary to assess suitability and address any potential issues beforehand.  

4. Installation and Power Requirements 

1. 1. The equipment installation includes all labour, material, delivery, handling, storing, internal delivery and transfer to the proper location, connections to building services, covering and protection of equipment, and all necessary procedures to form a fully operating system in accordance with the drawings and specifications of the equipment.

1. 2. The assembly and installation must be performed by qualified representatives of the successful proponent, and the successful proponent shall work in cooperation and harmony with other trades and the University of Ottawa representatives. 

1. 3. The successful proponent must evaluate the existing electrical power supply and recommend any changes to ensure that both regular and emergency power supplies meet the requirements for optimal operation of the equipment. The University of Ottawa has standard single phase, and 3 phase, 60Hz Canadian power distribution. The stated voltage current can vary by +/- 10%. Where equipment specification identifies voltages other than 120V, 208V, and 600V, the successful proponent must identify and ensure that the equipment can operate within provided tolerances. If the quality of the existing power supply is not satisfactory, the proponent shall include in his proposal any costs required to improve the quality to the required level and if required, a step-up transformer. 

1. 4. The successful proponent must identify any special requirements such as dedicated circuits, clean electrical supplies, and any HVAC requirements in their proposal as well as in section A. The Deliverables – Statement of Work: 5. (Installation and Power Requirements) and sections 9 to 12 (Warranty, Service and Maintenance) of this RFP.

1. 5. The successful proponent must adhere strictly to uOttawa access and safety protocols during installation and setup and provide the following:

1. Comprehensive installation manuals and guidelines with the equipment
2. Dedicated technical resources to carry out the installation and commissioning staff readily available to address any questions or issues that may arise.
3. Contact information and escalation procedures for accessing technical support.
4. Safety instructions and prominent warnings in the installation documentation.
5. Comprehensive guidance on handling hazardous materials or components safely.  

1. 6. Installation date of the equipment is to be coordinated and mutually agreed to between the successful Proponent and the University of Ottawa. 

1. 1. The successful proponent will provide a clear and comprehensive detailed plan of the required services and connections including but not limited to water, power, data, gas, compressed air, and chilled water to accommodate the equipment. The successful proponent shall provide environmental conditions (including but not limited to temperature range, temperature variation, humidity range, noise, vibration, air dust, light…) required for normal use of the equipment and discuss with the Facilities team any possible flexibility for unreachable conditions in the designated space. Conduct thorough testing and quality assurance checks, before shipping the equipment, and provide test reports and certification documents to verify compliance with specifications.

5. Equipment Inspection and Acceptance 

1. 1. The unit shall be CSA (Canadian Standards Association) and ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) certified as a complete system, with all options and/or subassemblies per applicable CSA and ESA standards. The proponent is responsible for all costs associated with obtaining the accredited certification or evaluation agency from the list of acceptable approvals located at the websites below. For more information concerning the CSA and ESA Standards, please refer to the following Web sites: https://www.uottawa.ca/about-us/sites/g/files/bhrskd336/files/2023-10/uottawa-procedure-electrical-safety.pdf. https://esasafe.com/electrical-products/recognized-certification-marks/   

1. 2. When required, the successful proponent shall initiate a logbook to record the results of performance testing, quality control, and related documentation with a description of all procedures and equipment required to duplicate the results at a later date. 

1. 3. Upon acceptance, the successful proponent shall provide the University of Ottawa with a copy of the logbook and installation report. The successful proponent shall regularly update the logbook to record all subsequent quality control procedures, component failures, and maintenance. 

1. 4. For the purposes of observation, the successful proponent shall make provisions for the presence of designated University of Ottawa personnel during the full time of installation and warranty service. 

1. 5. The successful proponent will conduct thorough testing and quality assurance checks prior to shipping and again upon arrival.  The equipment must complete a performance inspection as per the specifications provided by the University in addition to all documents supplied with the proposal and provide test reports and certification documents to verify compliance with specifications.  

1. 6. The equipment must have completed successfully a performance inspection as per specifications provided below as well as per any other document supplied with the proposal prior to shipping and upon arrival. New equipment must complete the Installation Acceptance Test (IAT) before use and the successful proponent must provide a copy of The Certificate of Acceptance to the University. The successful proponent must demonstrate:

1. Full control of the equipment be demonstrated
2. All available techniques to be demonstrated during the installation stage
3. The ability to replicate performance parameters in the University of Ottawa laboratory by end-users 
4. Parameters achieved to the satisfaction of the Principal Investigator 
5. The University of Ottawa reserves the right to supply samples with appropriate features for demonstration of techniques prior to acceptance and/or sample testing before awarding a contract.
6. The University reserves the right to ask for demo and/or sample testing before accept or reject the proposal based on the result.  Demonstrations, presentations, and sample testing shall be at the proponent’s own expense.

1. 1. The successful proponent shall warrant its work and/or products including third-party products and integrations for no less than one (1) year from the acceptance date, against all defects and deficiencies in manufacture, workmanship, and installation.  The successful proponent shall also promptly remedy or replace any defect or deficiency, in the goods or services as solely determined by the University, upon notice from the University to do so, and at no cost to the University.  

1. 2. The following conditions of effectiveness levels shall apply to the warranty period and any subsequent extensions of the warranty period. The effectiveness level shall be determined monthly, by dividing the total uptime hours by the total of uptime and downtime hours for that month. 

1. Uptime shall be defined as the time the equipment is ready for use, to the University of Ottawa’s satisfaction during the standard hours of operation in effect at that time.

2. Downtime shall be defined as the time the equipment is not available for use because of software or equipment breakdown or nonperformance to specifications satisfactorily. Downtime shall be measured from the time the service call is logged with the successful proponent’s service center to the time the equipment is returned for use in acceptable working condition.  

3. External failures due to the University of Ottawa's utilities, scheduled preventive maintenance, and scheduled upgrades shall not be considered downtime. 

1. 3. The successful proponent must contact the user to schedule a complete system performance assessment within three weeks, prior to the end of the warranty’s expiry date and ensure that it meets or exceeds the specifications initially provided at the time of the system acceptance. Failure to perform this system check and any corrective procedures shall automatically extend the warranty period until such time as the system check is completed. Should the system fail to meet the specifications agreed upon in the purchase documents, the warranty period will automatically be extended until such time as the system is compliant with those specifications. 

1. 4. Should the successful proponent fail to remedy any defect or deficiency promptly within a reasonable time after notice to do so, the University of Ottawa may remedy the defect or deficiency, at the successful proponent’s expense.   

1. 5. Any equipment(s) or system(s) supplied and installed by the successful proponent shall be installed in such a manner as to preserve any and all manufacturers’ warranties, for the benefit of the University of Ottawa. 

6. Service Level

1. On-site response-time is expected within 72 hours from a qualified representative of the successful proponent.  Telephone or email service is expected within 24 hours.

2. The successful proponent shall keep all maintenance and service manuals current for a period of five (5) years following the date of system acceptance and shall incorporate the following:

1. Service, maintenance, and operating instructions for each piece of equipment required to for the system;
2. Descriptive and technical data;
3. Control and schematic drawings;
4. Wiring diagrams;
5. A list of specialized test equipment, calibration devices, and diagnostic software required for servicing and quality assurance;
6. A list of recommended spares parts;
7. One copy of all factory and field tests performed on the equipment.

3. All technical records, manuals, and diagnostic software licenses pertaining to the system and its options at the time of acceptance are considered part of the purchase of the equipment and shall be the property of the University of Ottawa.

4. Where available, the successful proponent shall provide, at no extra charge to the University of Ottawa, all remote diagnostic software packages.

5. If the equipment is modified or upgraded during the warranty period, the successful proponent shall provide supplementary service training to the University of Ottawa.

6. The successful proponent shall provide all software and special diagnostic devices required for user operation, calibration, maintenance, and repair of the equipment.

7. The University of Ottawa and its designated representatives shall have the right to use all software and upgrades for the operation, repair, and calibration of the instrument

7. Service and Maintenance Agreements

1. Upon expiration of the warranty period, a service agreement shall be available annually as an option to the University of Ottawa. The total period including the standard warranty needs to cover at least five (5) years after acceptance of the equipment.

2. The University of Ottawa shall be entitled to purchase from the successful proponent, at discounted prices, all replacement parts, components, subassemblies, and peripheral devices, as needed, for the maintenance and repair of all items purchased from the successful proponent, for at least five (5) years from the date of acceptance. No excessive shipping and handling charges shall be applied to these purchases.

3. The successful proponent shall expedite all shipments in a timely fashion in order to limit equipment downtime.

8. Preventative Maintenance

1. During the warranty period the successful proponent will provide a complete preventive maintenance schedule at specified times convenient to the University of Ottawa. These times may be outside the normal working hours and at no extra cost to the University of Ottawa.

9. Software upgrade

1. For a period of five (5) years after acceptance, the proponent shall be responsible to provide, free of charge, software (operational and diagnostic) upgrades that enhance the existing capabilities of the equipment.