Question:
Your document: - VP492452_TCW00700 - Schedule 1 - Supply of Liquid Chromatograph Systems for Multi Analyte Applications; on page 4, point 6 states “including the installation of new gas lines and regulators required to make the instrument fully operational.”

Where are these gas lines to be run from? Eg from already existing in lab connections to the instrument? OR some external or extended location? Do you have a total length or some drawings that could help to understand this requirement?

Answered on 05/Jan/2026 12:27 PM:


The LCMSMS room has one gaseous nitrogen supply at the wall, about 1 to 2 meters from where the instrument is going to be. We also have argon, helium, zero grade air and methane lines, but these are supplied through the ceiling to another room which is about 15-20 meters away (See images added to the RFQ documents). The contractor will have to include the cost of any modification of these lines. We intend to use our nitrogen supply line so there is no need for a nitrogen generator.

If the collision cell gas required is UHP argon, we will accept the provision of a D size cylinder with a regulator to be safely installed and restrained beside the LCMSMS.

Question:
In your reply about gases, what would be the flow, pressure and purity of the Nitrogen in the lab?

With the zero grade air would this be from gas cylinders or other, what pressure/flow would this provide?

Answered on 05/Jan/2026 04:10 PM:


Nitrogen gas is generated from liquid nitrogen (Cryospeed VIE230) at a pressure of around 700 Kpa after the tank regulator. This has a very high purity. This pressure is also able to be adjusted using another gas regulator at the LCMSMS room. This system is able to provide flow rates in excess of 200 L/min.

Zero Grade air is supplied from G size cylinders at a pressure of around 600 Kpa after the tank regulator. This system should be able to provide flow rates in excess of 200 L/min. Dependent on the application usage rate, the only limitation is the need to replace the G size cylinder between runs if the zero grade air requirement is high.

Question:
Would you be able to confirm if a Nitrogen generator is required for the LC-MS/MS? Does the lab have a supply of zero-grade Air and/or UHP N2 gas?

The tender mentions you require a one-year supply of all consumables for the operation of the LC-MS/MS and sample preparation equipment. Is it acceptable for vendors to tender for the LC-MS/MS equipment only and the supplier can provide advice on what consumables (SPE cartridges, UHPLC columns, standards, etc...) to purchase at the time of being awarded the contract? - without knowing exact sample numbers for each assay and without knowing the details of the sample preparation equipment used in TLS, it is very difficult to cost this.

Does TLS currently have methods in place to conduct LC-MS/MS analysis as per US EPA 1633 and is it the intention of TLS to adhere to existing sample preparation methods and to replicate your existing method(s) on the new LC-MS/MS equipment? Or perhaps TLS is looking at setting up US EPA 1633 method from scratch?

Is the matrix for Algal toxin work fresh water only (drinking water?) - what is the maximum salt content in the water samples.

What are the matrices for the OP Pesticides?

Do you have benches available to put the UHPLC on, or do you want us to include data entry and/or UHPLC bench as optional items?

Thanks

Answered on 12/Jan/2026 09:59 AM:


1. No, we do not need an N2 generator. Yes, we have zero-grade Air (G2 sizes and UHP N2 gas from liquid nitrogen)

2. Section 6 of Schedule 1 of our Request for Tender Documents states the details of the scope of the one-year consumables supply. “The contractor must provide a one-year supply of all consumables for both the LCMSMS systems and the sample preparation equipment. One year supply is equivalent to about 1500 samples each for the three applications (PFAS, Algal Toxins and Organochlorine pesticides)”

Addendum: The scope shall include the sample preparation equipment necessary to deliver the analysis of all the analytes. Currently, the Townsville Laboratory Services has the following equipment. 2 x 10 place Solid Phase Extraction Manifolds including 2 vacuum pumps, 1 shaker/extractor, 1 x 48 place nitrogen assisted solvent evaporator and one freeze dryer. Any sample preparation equipment required to complete the analysis will have to be provided by the contractor. The intent of the request for tender is for the contractor to provide a turnkey solution to address the analytes required. This includes the LCMSMS, sample preparation instruments, a working analytical method and training.

3. TLS has an in house method for PFAS analysis. The PFAS analysis shall be able to analyse all the surrogates according to USEPA 1633 but TLS will not necessarily follow the USEPA 1633 as it poses a lot of requirements.

4. Yes, this is for fresh water only.

5. Potable water, surface/environmental waters, brackish and seawater.

6. These should be included in the proposal.