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
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
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)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.3)Main activity
Health
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
Food Standards Agency – FS101013 – Enhanced molecular based surveillance and source attribution of campylobacter infections in the UK.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 8: Research and development services
NUTS code UK
Service category No 8: Research and development services
NUTS code UK
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The key elements of the work are as follows:
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.
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.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
73110000, 73111000, 73210000, 73000000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: no
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 600 000,00 and 900 000,00 GBP
Range: between 600 000,00 and 900 000,00 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
II.2.3)Information about renewals
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: no
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
III.2.3)Technical capacity
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Open
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
FS101013
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
21.6.2012 – 17:00
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening tenders
Date: 22.6.2012
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
VI.3)Additional information
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:18.4.2012