Research Services Food Standards Agency
Enhanced molecular based surveillance and source attribution of campylobacter infections in the UK.
UK-York: research services
2012/S 77-126996
Contract notice
Services
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
Food Standards Agency
1-2 Peasholme Green
Contact point(s): Sally Frear
YO1 7PR York
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: fsa.procurement@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: www.food.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://fsa-esourcing.eurodyn.com
Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Section II: Object of the contract
Service category No 8: Research and development services
NUTS code UK
1. to design a sampling framework for collecting representative Campylobacter human faecal isolates over a 3 year period in the UK. As an example this could include collecting isolates from clinical laboratories in 6 geographically distinct areas in England (3), Scotland (1), Wales (1) and Northern Ireland (1), totalling approximately 6 000 isolates annually and representative of the whole year. However, we would be willing to consider alternative approaches as long as they will achieve the stated aims and expected outcomes of the work.
2. given the geographical spread of sampling that may be needed it is likely that more than one laboratory will need to be involved. To minimise potential sampling and reporting artefacts the laboratories should work to the same protocols for collection and storage of faecal samples and Campylobacter testing and isolation. The contractor should put in place a system to monitor and regularly report denominator data over the life of the study i.e. the number of faecal specimens received, the number tested for Campylobacter, the positivity rates, etc. The contractor or sub-contractors should maintain storage of isolates until they are to be further characterised.
3. collecting a basic epidemiological dataset on cases; primarily age, sex, location and travel history. The Agency funded element of this work is not intended to gather detailed case histories concerning food or environmental exposures and if applicants wish to collect such information then consideration should be given to “in kind” funding or to identifying other funding sources.
4. the human isolates should be subjected to detailed characterisation. The envisaged option is Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using an appropriate platform and the resulting sequencing data analysed to derive Multi Locus Sequence Types (MLST) and identification of other genes which may be relevant to attributing the source of the Campylobacter infections.
5. comparisons should be made with NGS, MLST and other data obtained from food and environmental isolates to enable potential sources of the clinical Campylobacter isolates to be putatively identified and trends monitored over time. The selection of the isolates should be considered carefully to avoid oversampling from common sources such as poultry or from historical collections. The objective should be to perform an unbiased comparison of isolates from different sources to the extent possible.
6. the contractor will be expected to provide regular reports to the Agency (timelines to be agreed) which include appropriate analysis for attributing human isolates to sources of infection. The project is envisaged as 3 years in duration but with an option to extend for a further 2 years depending on progress, outputs and the availability of additional funding. Potential contractors should indicate in their bid the feasibility of undertaking an extension to the work. Collaborative applications are encouraged to promote well-balanced, innovative proposals that offer value for money and make use of the best available technology and research approaches. There are a several projects funded by FSA and Defra generating isolates from the chicken production chain including where interventions have been applied. These projects provide potential opportunities for collaboration and if pursued then the proposal developed here should take into account work required to further characterise isolates from poultry sources.
73110000, 73111000, 73210000, 73000000
Range: between 600 000,00 and 900 000,00 GBP
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
Section IV: Procedure
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:18.4.2012