UK Shared Business Services Limited
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1FF
United Kingdom
Contact person: Michelle Boulton
Telephone: +44 1793867212
E-mail:
NUTS code: UKK14

Internet address(es):

Main address: http://www.uksbs.co.uk

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address

Body governed by public law

Other activity: public procurement

Transmission Electron Cryo-Microscope.

Reference number: PR17057

Supplies

UK Shared Business Services (UK SBS) is acting on behalf of the MRC - Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) to give prior notification of their intention to invite tenders for the following requirement. The MRC - Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) has a requirement to purchase a highly automated Transmission Electron Cryo-microscope for high-resolution data collection for both Electron Cryo-tomography (CryoET) experiments and Single Particle Analysis (SPA) with automated data collection using a Field Emission Gun (FEG) that can be operated at 80keV to 300keV energy levels for the data collection of frozen-hydrated biological specimens.

Value excluding VAT: 5 000 000.00 GBP

This contract is divided into lots: no

NUTS code: UKH12

Main site or place of performance:

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology.

The MRC - Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) has a requirement to purchase a highly automated Transmission Electron Cryo-microscope for high-resolution data collection for both Electron Cryo-tomography (CryoET) experiments and Single Particle Analysis (SPA) with automated data collection using a Field Emission Gun (FEG) that can be operated at 80keV to 300keV energy levels for the data collection of frozen-hydrated biological specimens.

The winning contractor will be responsible for the following package:

- Supply and installation of a new 80-300 keV Cryo-electron microscopy system along with all supporting equipment (chillers, power supplies, detectors, energy-filter, etc ) within a maximum space of 4.5 x 6.5 meters.

- The above system to be delivered by January 2018

- The relocation of an existing Tecnai G2 Polara to make room for the new Cryo-electron microscopy system, plus the requirement to recommission existing Tecnai G2 Polara.

- The commissioning of an additional 10-years old Tecnai G2 Polara within the laboratory facility.

- Supply, installation and embedding of an identical direct electron detection camera for low-dose, zero-loss filtered imaging to the existing Tecnai G2 Polara (as finally fitted to the above 80-300 keV CryoEM)

- The supply of an automated vitrification robot for automated high through put sample vitrification for use in the cryoEM system.

- Service warranty

The Transmission Electron Cryo-microscope as listed above should be tailored for use in protein and cellular imaging and allow a range of semi-automated applications, including 2D electron crystallography, single particle analysis of electron cryo-microscopy, and cellular tomography of frozen-hydrated cells and organelles.

The system should have the following outline requirements

- Capable of high-resolution data collection for both Electron Cryo-tomography (CryoET) experiments and Single Particle Analysis (SPA) with automated data collection.

- Field Emission Gun (FEG) with maximum brightness.

- Operate at 80keV -300keV with optimised alignment at 80keV, 100keV, 200keV and 300keV energy levels.

- Autoloader for robotic sample handling and loading of 12 or more samples.

- Have very low contamination rates.

- Computerized cryo specimen stage allowing XYZ shift and at least ± 70 degree alpha tilt.

- Constant Power lenses, automatic apertures, parallel sample illumination with quantitative indication of convergence angle, size of illuminated area, and electron dose at specimen.

- Have Minimal thermal drift.

- high speed general purpose camera (10 to 40fps, complete dynamic range ,Automatic adaptable gain, Automatic HDR ,scintillator design for live observation of focused high intensity beams, low dose ,diffraction and live FFT)

- Direct electron detector camera (at least 40 fps - retractable 4kx4k, 14x14 µm2 pixel DQE @ 1/2 Nq (300 kV): ≥ 0.5)

- Embedded Gatan (or equivalent) BioQuantum energy filter

- Gatan K3 Camera (or equivalent) - microscope to be supplied with an interim Gatan K2 (or equivalent) summit direct electron detection camera for low-dose, zero-loss filtered imaging

The MRC - Laboratory of Molecular Biology would like to invite interested potential suppliers to attend a Prior Information Event on Tuesday 23rd May 10:00 - 15:30 GMT at the following location;

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Francis Crick Avenue

Cambridge Biomedical Campus

Cambridge

CB2 0QH

Interested partied are requested to register for this event by 14:00 hrs GMT on Friday 19.5.2017, by e mailing Michelle Boulton;

We ask that prospective suppliers limit attendance to

2 people from their respective organisation. Please ensure that you state the names of the individuals who will be attending.

The event will provide an opportunity to understand the opportunity/ requirement in full as well as providing more information about the procurement process.

The Medical Research Council is a non-departmental public

body and is owned by the Department for

Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. UK SBS is a

limited company and a public body. UK SBS are set

up to provide services to the Research Councils in the areas of HR and Payroll, Procurement, Finance,

Property Asset Management, Grants and ICT.

05/06/2017

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: yes

11/05/2017