Tender Details

Biobanking Workflow Equipment

Business Name

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

VP Reference #

VP470887

Buyers Reference #

2025 136

Opens

Monday 28 July 2025 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Closes

Friday 29 August 2025 05:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time) CLOSED

Supplier query cut-off

Friday 29 August 2025 05:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time)

Expected decision

Friday 19 September 2025 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Buyer Details

Business Name

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Location

300 Herston Rd
Herston, Queensland 4006
Australia

WebSite:

http://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au

Business Info

At QIMR Berghofer, we seek to discover, diagnose and deliver better treatments for some of the world’s deadliest diseases.

Contact Details

The buyer has elected to have their personal and contact details hidden. These details will be revealed at the buyers discretion.

What the buyer is requesting

Details

QIMR Berghofer is tendering for the supply of Equipment to provide process automation and improve efficiency of its Biobanking workflows. The equipment will assist in the retrieval of samples from storage, de-capping of lab ware, quality assessment of nucleic acids - including but not limited to quantification and quality assessment using optical density assessment, and/or fluorescence assessment of double stranded DNA. The management of samples requires automated liquid handling capacities throughout the process.

Potentially two robotic liquid handling platforms will be considered, one larger and one smaller unit, also under consideration would be the inclusion of a robotic tube selector instead of a liquid handler, these upgrade options are cost dependent.

The equipment required for this process automation:

1 x Automated Screw Cap Decapper

2 x Liquid handling robot (PC (with keyboard, mouse, GUI), contained housing, thermo mixer, vacuum manifold, gripper arm, solid and liquid waste disposal, single and multichannel pipette heads). One platform with at least 12 deck positions, the second must have at least 6 positions.

1 x Plate reader, for high-throughput nucleic acid assessment of spectrophotometric and fluoro-metric analyses.

1 x Automated Tube Handler with on-board barcode scanning, capable of selecting and repositioning storage tubes. A minimum of 6 deck spaces are required.

All offers will be considered and suppliers should make submission on either selected pieces of equipment or a complete in line solution as per their supply capability. If a complete solution is tendered QIMR Berghofer may choose to select individual pieces of equipment to build a solution that best meets technical, functional and budgetary requirements.

Background information / Compatibility requirements

Details

Must integrate with the LIMS used by QIMR Berghofer, details are included in the tender invitation.

Desired Outcomes ('Nice to haves', Conditions & Warranties, SLA's, Project benefits)

Details

Please include all warranty information, extended warranty offerings and past warranty service packages.

Questions asked by the buyer

Question 1 - [Required]

3.3.2.1.1 Liquid Handling Platform General (Mandatory)
Liquid handling capacity must have the ability of single and multichannel functionality of volumes ranging from 1µL – 1000µL, with at least 12 deck positions, 6 deck positions.
Sample handling automation must have the capability to handle Azenta FluidX lab ware.
Capability of connectivity to LIMS

Question 2 - [Required]

3.3.2.1.2 Pipetting Capacity (Mandatory)
Single and multichannel functionality
Accuracy at volumes ranging from 1µL – 1000µL
Tip-On Recognition: Automatically detects when a tip is attached.
Capability to handle a variety of lab ware and must include Azenta FluidX lab ware

Question 3 - [Required]

3.3.2.1.3 Pipetting Arm / Head (Mandatory)
Precise movement and positioning
Offers a generous head height above deck (96mm tip-on height)
Automatic tool selection and optimisation of run times through tool selection

Question 4 - [Required]

3.3.2.1.4 Deck Features (Mandatory)
Supports a range of lab ware types of standard SBS configuration
Allows deck scan for setup and placement of lab ware checks
Flexibility in deck configuration and pedestal placement for tips and reagent reservoirs
Efficiently handles waste disposal - liquid and hardware

Question 5 - [Required]

.3.2.1.5 Connectivity and Application (Mandatory)
Allows programming through instruction files (such as **.csv or **.txt)
Simple and clear GUI
Software intuitive and easy to use and develop methods

Question 6 - [Required]

3.3.2.1.6 Accessory/application features (Mandatory)
Temperature control blocks (sample/reagent temperature control)
On-board Scanners (position, lab ware and sample barcode scanners)
Allows the operator to configure/write lab ware or provides service free of charge for vendor configuration
Reagent mixing/agitation capabilities
Efficient use of deck space – such as stacker features/gripper tool feature

Question 7 - [Required]

3.3.2.1.7 Safety and Maintenance (Mandatory)
HEPA Air Filtration and UV-C Decontamination: Removes contaminants and sterilizes the deck.
Routine Maintenance: Includes daily, weekly, and yearly maintenance tasks to ensure optimal performance.
Provides standard PM service agreements that are comprehensive for labour/part/replacement within reasonable budget

Question 8 - [Required]

3.3.2.2.1 Automated Tube Capping – General (Mandatory)
Automated Decapping of lab ware – capability to decap Azenta FluidX tubes in rack format
Efficiently caps and decaps tubes in 96-format racks (minimum)
Compatible with internal and external treaded tubes
Interchangeable Decapping Heads: Supports various tube formats and sizes - Must be compatible with Azenta FluidX lab ware
Decapper action minimizes cross-threading risks
Safely decaps and stores tube lids reducing cross-contamination (re-usable lids)

Question 9 - [Required]

3.3.2.2.2 Integration (Mandatory)
Operation with standard files such as **.csv, **.txt and or LIMS.

Question 10 - [Required]

3.3.2.2.3 Ease of Use (Mandatory)
Intuitive and clear GUI (Graphic user interface)
UV Decontamination and/or HEPA Filtration: Reduces the risk of contamination.

Question 11 - [Required]

3.3.2.3.1 DNA Plate Reading - General (Mandatory)
Allows measurement of multiple samples simultaneously (plate, Take3 plate, multichannel)
Measures both spectrophotometric and Fluorescence quality of nucleic acids and proteins - multi-mode capabilities – Monochromator not filters, with suitable detector and flexible for a range of kits (e.g. Promega QuantiFluor One dsDNA, Picogreen)
Fluorescent analyses using low and high sensitivity kits (1ng/uL to 1000 ng/uL)
Low volume input of sample i.e. Spectrophotometric analysis should require a minimal input volume of 2uL or less
Spectrophotometric analysis must be able to record 230 nm, 260 nm, 280 nm and calculate nucleic acid purity and quantity

Question 12 - [Required]

3.3.2.3.2 Software Integration (Mandatory)
Software should deliver comprehensive data analysis in standard format (such as **.csv, **.txt etc.)
Software provides protocols for standard nucleic acid and protein analyses (OD, fluorescence analyses - ssDNA, dsDNA, RNA and proteins) or are easily set up by purchaser

Question 13 - [Required]

3.3.2.3.3 Automated Tube Selection (Mandatory)
On-board scanners for position and barcoded boxes and tubes (2D)
Compatible with a range of lab ware but must include Azenta FluidX lab ware
Allows the operator to configure/write lab ware or provides service free of charge for vendor configuration
Supports a range of lab ware types of standard SBS configuration
Precise movement and positioning
Allows deck scan for setup and placement of lab ware checks
Allows programming through instruction files for cherry-picking (such as **.csv or **.txt)
Simple and clear GUI
Software intuitive and easy to use and develop methods

Question 14 - [Required]

3.3.3.1.1 Pipetting Capacity (Desirable)
Liquid Level detection
Clot Detection: Identifies clots to prevent pipetting errors
Independent Channels: Supports single-channel pipetting and/or simultaneous pipetting with multiple channels
Can support non-OEM lab ware
A variety of liquid properties can be handled without error or drips

Question 15 - [Required]

3.3.3.1.2 Deck Features (Desirable)
Deck set-up can be flexible for assigning lab ware to positions

Question 16 - [Required]

3.3.3.1.3 Connectivity and Application (Desirable)
Compatible with LIMS e.g. through API or other means such as SiLA automation compliance
Effective run notifications (sound, lights, email notification, LIMS notification)

Question 17 - [Required]

3.3.3.1.4 Accessory/application features (Desirable)
Vacuum manifold for column extraction of nucleic acids
Other tools such as conveyer, tube handler tool, etc.

Question 18 - [Required]

3.3.3.2.1 Automated Tube Capping General (Desirable)
Can handle another SBS formats (384, 48, 24)
Flexibility in de-capping action (landscape and portrait orientations)
Interchanging heads can be effectively performed without vendor assistance
Capacity to do both entire rack and selective tubes in a rack

Question 19 - [Required]

3.3.3.2.2 Barcode Reading (Desirable)
1D and 2D Barcode Scanning: Rapidly scans and decodes barcodes for sample tracking for tubes and boxes)
Integrated Barcode Scanners: Ensures accurate sample identification and traceability

Question 20 - [Required]

3.3.3.2.3 Integration (Desirable)
Integrate with Liquid Handlers and other automation
Connectivity with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) - e.g. API, SiLA-compliant drivers

Question 21 - [Required]

3.3.3.3.1 DNA Plate Reading General (Desirable)
Spectrophotometric analysis should be analysed for minimal cost per sample

Question 22 - [Required]

3.3.3.3.2 Software Integration (Desirable)
Automated data handling
LIMS integration/SiLA/API compatibility

Question 23 - [Required]

3.3.3.3.3 Automated Tube Selection (Desirable)
LIMS integration/SiLA/API compatibility
Flexible use of deck space for origin and destination racks
Compatible with LIMS e.g. through API or other means such as SiLA automation compliance
Effective run notifications (sound, lights, email notification, LIMS notification)

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Lab, Measure, Observe & Test Equip

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