Madigan Salient Characteristics Special Stains.docx

MADIGAN ARMY MEDICAL CENTER

DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY

TACOMA, WA 98431-1100

Salient Characteristics Special Stain Automated Slide Stainer Platform

The Contractor shall provide special stain reagents and supplies used in support of the Anatomic Pathology mission at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington. The Contractor will be responsible for furnishing two exactly similar special stain automated slide stainer platforms (inclusive of instruments and ancillary equipment to include but not limited to a computer, external drives, paper printer (reports), slide label printer, barcode scanner, UPS, etc.), maintenance, services, repairs, support, and parts as required in order to maintain the systems in optimal working condition at no extra cost to the Government.

A. Must be versatile and fully automated with the ability to reconfigure modules and scalable to allow for workload volume increase in throughput. Option must be available for expansion of more than one system onto a single workstation.

B. Must be able to provide two exactly similar platform models over the entire course of the contract.

C. The platform must provide redundancy to maintain 24/7 operations.

D. Must have a minimum capacity to stain at least 40 slides per batch run.

E. Must have the capability to simultaneously process up to 10 different protocols in the same run for both heated and non-heated stains.

F. Must be able to maintain/hold at least 50 reagents on the platform and offer an adequately large reagent test pack capacity.

G. Reagents must be applied to patient slides individually.

H. Must have an individual slide temperature control and on-board drying and dewaxing of slides.

I. Platform must have a self-contained waste system.

J. Platform shall be able to perform an array of special stains listed in the following table:

**NOTE: Stain(s) must be identified if not available. Must have at least 85% (15/18) of stains available.

K. Prefer a benchtop model; each individual platform with ancillary equipment shall fit on a table with maximum dimensions of 72 in x 38 in (Size = W x D).

L. Must operate with environmental conditions of 15 - 35°C and 15-75% relative humidity and electrical requirement of 120 V.

M. Reagents and stains must have a minimum shelf life of 90 days once shipped by the contractor. If the shelf life is less than 90 days, vendor will discount the contract price by 50% per unit.

N. Platform shall provide the ability for technicians to walk away with no additional steps once the staining run is started until complete.

O. Platform must not require remote diagnostics for troubleshooting or required software updates.

P. Contractor will provide initial “operator level” on-site training at no additional cost to the government for up to 6 technicians.

Q. Contractor will provide two training slots at the contractor’s training site/facility at no cost to the government.

R. A technology clause must be provided that includes the option to upgrade to the newest staining technology at any time during the term of the lease of the agreement without penalty or cost to the government.

S. If a technology clause is exercised the contractor must provide all reagents, calibrators, controls, consumable/disposable items, parts and accessories required to establish operation and perform all validation studies at no cost to the government.

T. Vendor will provide all reagents, stains, and supplies, at no cost to the government, for initial method validation/verification for each assay described in the validation/verification plan signed by the Chief, Anatomic Pathology, Madigan Army Medical Center.

U. Platform must have the capability to establish bidirectional interface with the Anatomic Pathology Laboratory Information System (APLIS) CoPath Plus.

V. The platform will be removed by the contractor at no expense to the government; either at completion or termination of the contract; or upon exercising of a technology clause for upgrade of equipment.