Purchase_Description.pdf

Version 11-30-2016-1 FAR Part 11—Describing Agency Needs

PURCHASE DESCRIPTION

1. Statement of Need and Purpose:

The purpose of this acquisition is to acquire a high resolution and high content laser based confocal molecular bio-imager instrument for the Neuro Therapeutics Development Unit, (NTDU), Translational Neuroscience Center, NINDS. We will incorporate the use of the new imager into our screening and bio-analysis workflow in order to achieve our goals of identifying, characterizing and developing of new and novel therapeutics for neurological diseases and infections of the nervous system. This work involves high resolution acquisition and high content analysis of our human neuronal cultures, which mimic the neurodegenerative states that are under investigation.

2. Background Information and Objective

The NINDS NTDU develops and utilizes automated medium-high throughput assays to identify potential novel therapeutic compounds. In this capacity, the lab can screen libraries of small compounds in both rodent and human neuronal cell culture models of neurodegenerative disorders like ALS motor neuron disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and neuronal cell models of neurologic infections from agents like HIV, Zika virus, human endogenous retroviruses and even Ebola virus. The Lab requires a high speed and high content image acquisition and analysis system capable of acquiring and analyzing hundreds/thousands of photomicrographs from neuronal cultures which have been exposed to various chemical and biological toxins to represent or mimic neurologic disease.

3. Generic Name of Product: High resolution and high content Bio-imager

4. Purchase Description:

High Content Analysis (HCA) Platform with multiple laser illumination, Confocal 3D acquisition, a fast, automated cellular imaging and analysis platform designed for quantitative microscopy and phenotypic screening. The instrument shall incorporate robotics to facilitate transfer of culture plates from our preexisting CytoMat 2C to a laser based confocal bio-imager. This systemshall include 4X through 40X objectives, an environmental chamber with controlled humidity to facilitate live cell imaging and analysis, laser-based autofocus, high resolution phase contrast imaging in addition to fluorescence based imaging.

5. Salient characteristics Minimum system specifications and characteristics shall be as follows:

• Bio-imager system must have a multi-color Laser-based imaging system

• System must image in widefield and confocal modes for high resolution microscopy of neuronal cultures, iPSC spheroids and cerebral organoids

• System must have either the latest high resolution cooled CCD camera or sCMOS camera with greater than ~75% quantum efficiency.

• System must have 4X, 10X, 20X and 40X objectives. Additional objectives, such as 1-2X or 60X objectives maybe added at later date.

• System must have laser based autofocus methods to accommodate a broad range of sample types and consumables on the platform.

• System must have multiple Imaging modes, both widefield and confocal modes including deconvolution, time series & maximum projection.

• System must have automated 3D imaging and volumetric image analysis combined with simultaneous multi-threaded parallel processing and automatic storage in a Microsoft SQL Database.

• System must have environmental control for Live-Cell options: CO2 control and/or CO2-O2 control.

• System must have Imaging capability with multiple wavelengths from the UV to near IR wavelength ranges.

• System must be capable of Imaging in SBS standard microplates, including 6 well through 96 well plates, plus 384 and 1536 well plates. Imaging in chamber slides and standard glass slide modes.

• System must have confocal mode settings for collecting Z-stacks of spheroids, cerebral organoids or other thick, asymmetrical objects.

• System should function in manual microscope mode - allows the user to switch objectives, filters, focus, fields of view on the fly as would be conducted in a manual system.

• System should have high NA air objectives that allow for high resolution imaging in all wells of the plate.

• System includes LED based Transmitted Light Capabilities

• System must be capable of a fully integrated walk-away software package that allows the user to analyze images with pre-built application modules, customize algorithm settings with a custom module editor and write scripts to control all functions of the hardware and software to create fully customizable high content image acquisition and analysis.

• System must include 2D on-the-fly and 3D deconvolution software capabilities.

• System must have High resolution analysis software—integrated for image acquisition and data analysis. The analysis must be able to provide quantitative image analysis in high resolution phase contrast images as well as fluorescent images of human neurons. Analysis of morphologic parameters in high resolution images of human neuronal processes and dendritic spines is required.

• System must come with two (2) licenses for the analysis software.

• Extensive technical training in use of new acquisition and analysis software onsight following installation is required.

• System must include a Robotic Plate Handler with hotels to store up to 88 plates.

• System must include integration of Bio-imager with existing NINDS Cytomat

Incubator

• Robotic plate handler integration must include dynamic scheduling software with unlimited expansion

• Inside delivery

6. Quantity 1 high resolution bio-imager

7. Delivery Date:

The Contractor shall deliver the equipment within 90 days after receipt of order. Delivery must be FOB destination. The equipment shall be delivered inside during normal working hours (from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM local prevailing time, Monday through Friday).

8. Period of Performance:

The contractor shall provide, at a minimum, a one (1) year warranty on this instrument.

All products shall be warranted to be free from material defects in workmanship or material under normal use and service for the warranty period

9. Option(s): NONE