Public procurement notice: Contract Award Notice
Published: 2020-06-05
Buyer: Havforskningsinstituttet
Country: NO
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Contract award without prior publication
CPV classification: 48328000 | 48329000 | 72212300: Document creation software programming services | 72212320
Estimated value: 462461 USD
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: The Institute of Marine Research will, in an assignment from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, increase monitoring and warnings on harmful algae in Norwegian waters. An improved monitoring system is to be prepared. The project has been asked to assess a new alternative methodology for improving monitoring and, at the same time, increasing the geographical coverage. A decision has been made in the project to go for a submersible picture analysis system and data transfer in real time, and the subsequent machine learning. The system will be placed in the field for long periods throughout the year. The Institute for Marine Research plans to procure 3 complete systems, model IFCB, manufactured by McLane Research Laboratories Inc.
— the system must capture small cells of micro algae, down to 8-10 μm, as well as larger cells (500μm),
— the system must be able to send data continually to a centralised laboratory/database in real time. As the pictures will be used for quantification and qualitative analyses, the picture quality is vital,
— the system must be built up around the 'flow cytometry' system in order to ensure an optimum focus point for the pictures. One of the current challenges is the identification of small cells through the use of IFC. As a minimum, the system must trigger pictures based on scatter (light). Lasers with a defined wavelength for triggering the camera system, for example, chlorophyll, will be advantageous as it will make the work of separating algae from organic material easier. As the system is intended to be placed in coastal waters over a long period of time, it is important that there is a system for dealing with any blockages due to large algae. This ought to be an automatic system, or one that can be activated, in order to reduce maintenance work on equipment out in the field. The manufacturer of the system must be able to show that the system is used for continual monitoring in coastal areas. As machine learning is an important aspect of this methodology, it will be advantageous if the manufacturer can show that they have software that is suitable for this purpose.
The contract will be signed in accordance with the Public Procurement Regulations §13-4 letter b No 2 'competition is impossible due to technical reasons.'
The Institute of Marine Research has carried out thorough market surveys in order to map what systems are available in the market, and to what degree they can deliver the results we need. There have been 2 recent articles that compare different picture analysis systems for aquatic monitoring. Neither concludes with a 'best version', but they sum up the different qualities of the instruments that are commercially available. These articles have played a central role in the review and selection of a suitable product. In addition we have conferred with Nordic colleagues. We have based ourselves on our experience, as well as literature searches on specific problems.
Based on the commercially available overviews on 'Imaging Flow Cytometry' (IFC) systems, there are two instruments that stand out. Based on the manufacturers, both systems can detect algae within more or less the same size spectrum. IFCB has, according to the literature, a size distribution that is deemed to be optimal for quantification; an equivalent value is not given for the other system (Lombard et al 2019).
IFCB has an internal self-cleaning function that ensures long periods of operation, as well as an option to run standard balls for size calibration. There is hydrodynamic focussing in both systems, which ensures better focussing and clearer pictures than passive transport of particles. Based on the pictures that are available on the internet, the picture quality is considerably better for IFCB than for the other relevant system. The existing literature shows that IFCB has been used for routine monitoring to a larger degree.
As the picture quality is an important parameter for our use of the system, we have asked both manufacturers questions about picture quality.
Based on a review of different IFC systems, there are basically only two alternatives that are suitable for our purpose. Essential criteria for our planned use are that they are submersible, can be out in the field for long periods of time, minimal plugging of the instrument, good picture quality for small cells, and identification and quantification of micro algae. Both systems have a submersible variety and can analyse and report in real time. Both systems use approximately the same technology to set up 'flow cell' and both manufacturers state approx. the same size spectrums for analyses.


Winner: McLane Research Laboratories Inc
Award value: 462461
Number of bids: 1