Automated Freeze Plunger

1. 1. - Background Information

Since 1848 the University of Ottawa has been Canada’s university and the largest bilingual university in Canada.  At the University of Ottawa, we understand our past and our desired future. The University of Ottawa is a major player in the cultural and economic development of the National Capital Region.

The University of Ottawa is one of Canada's leading research-intensive University. The University of Ottawa fosters excellence and success in research, whether the research is basic or applied, of intrinsic value or of commercial importance. The University of Ottawa considers itself to be Canada's university of the 21st Century by launching new initiatives in emerging areas, promoting collaboration within and across faculties, and providing the milieu in which creativity can flourish.

Further information regarding the University of Ottawa can be found on the Web site http://www.uottawa.ca/ 

We hereby invite your company (proponent) to partner with the University of Ottawa in this great project funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Research Tools and Instruments Grants Program (RTI) by submitting an offer to this Request for Proposals.

Please find attached the Request for Proposals documentation with specifications to be completed and returned with your proposal.
 

1. 2. - Statement of Requirements

1.2.1.       The Unversity of Ottawa is pleased to invite qualified proponents to submit a proposal for an automated freeze plunger, which will be a critical piece of infrastructure in a drug-discovery pipeline that is being developed at the University of Ottawa.  The freeze plunger will be used to prepare vitrified protein samples on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids.  The grids will be used for single particle imaging, with the TEM images processed to solve protein 3D structures.

General Description of Instrument, System or Service

The automated freeze plunger is a device that allows an operator to manually deposit small-volume aqueous samples on TEM grids with each grid then vitrified in liquid ethane or another coolant.  The device also facilitates transfer of the vitrified grid from the coolant into a grid storage box located under liquid nitrogen.

Specifications listed in Appendix A – Technical Specifications Compliance Form of this RFP are the mandatory minimum requirements for the automated freeze plunger.
 

1. 1. 1. 1. Should any equipment included in a proposal be superseded by a newer model during the period of time between the award of contract and the delivery date, the successful Proponent will be required to inform the University of Ottawa of the new specifications, the newer model pricing will remain the same as what was offered in the RFP. At its sole discretion, the University of Ottawa may opt to make changes from the list of equipment by altering, adding, or deducting some equipment.

 

Bidding and Documents are available on http://www.merx.com. Fees may apply; See https://www.merx.com/public/pricing for more information.