United Kingdom-Cardiff: GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler and nCounter

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Ref: (2021/S 000-022907/EN)
Nature of contract: Supply contract
Procedure: Award of a contract without prior publication
Type of bid required: Not applicable

Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Supplies

Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: Cardiff University
Postal address: Procurement Services, McKenzie House, 30-36 Newport Road
Town: Cardiff
Postal code: CF24 0DE
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 2920879648
Email: procurement@cardiff.ac.uk
Internet address(es):
Main address:
Address of the buyer profile:

I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler and nCounter

Reference number: CU.732.TH
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 38432000
II.1.3) Type of contract Supplies
II.1.4) Short Description:
NanoString GeoMX and nCounter instruments
II.1.6) Information about lots
The contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement(excluding VAT)
Value:300000
Currency:GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)
Main CPV code: 38432000

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The GeoMx DSP is a novel digital technology (proprietary
to NanoString) that is based on multiplexed measurement
of protein and nucleic acids and offers unparalleled levels of
precision coupled with the ability to quantify up to 96 proteins
and over 1000 RNA targets on a formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded
(FFPE) tissue section on a microscope slide.

II.2.5) Award criteria
II.2.11) Information about options
Options: no
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the Official Journal of the European Union in the cases listed below
(please complete point 2 of the Annex D)
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement(GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: yes
IV.2) Administrative information

Section V: Award of contract/concession
Contract No: CU.732.TH
V.2) Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:2021-09-15
V.2.2) Information about tenders
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Official name: NanoString Technologies
Postal address: St. Marys Court, The Broadway
Town: Amersham
Postal code: HP70UT
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 7468604366
Nuts code:
The contractor is an SME: yes

V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession(excluding VAT)
for framework agreements – total maximum value for this lot
for contracts based on framework agreements, if required – value of contract(s) for this lot not included in
previous contract award notices

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information:
(WA Ref:114050)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: High Court
Postal address: Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
Town: London
Postal code: WC2A 2LL
Country: United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 2079477501

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:
2021-09-15

Other justification for the award of the contract without prior publication of a call for competition
in the Official Journal of the European Union
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive

3.Explanation
Please explain in a clear and comprehensive manner why the award of the contract without prior publication in the Official Journal of the European Union
is lawful, by stating the relevant facts and, as appropriate, the conclusions of law in accordance with the directive:
The GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP)
is only available from NanoString
Technologies, Inc.
The GeoMx DSP is a novel digital technology (proprietary
to NanoString) that is based on multiplexed measurement
of protein and nucleic acids and offers unparalleled levels of
precision coupled with the ability to quantify up to 96 proteins
and over 1000 RNA targets on a formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded
(FFPE) tissue section on a microscope slide.
In contrast to the sequential analysis of multi-target
immunohistochemistry (IHC) slides, the GeoMx DSP samples
all protein or RNA analytes on a single slide. This not only
shortens experiments and simplifies data analysis, but also
provides a higher multiplexing capacity (96 targets) all with
spatial context from Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded
(FFPE) tissue sections.
Based on NanoString’s proprietary digital barcoding
technology, the GeoMx DSP platform measures local protein
levels, and can be combined with RNA expression, within
heterogeneous tissue samples. Combining both multiplexed
nucleic acid and protein on the same platform gives
researchers the ability to spatially resolve RNA when suitable
antibodies do not exist. The GeoMx DSP assay is performed on
the GeoMx DSP platform which includes imaging and fluidic
components to capture spatial context, and current nCounter®
or next-generation sequencing (NGS) instruments provide the
quantification.
Protein detection is enabled via primary antibodies which
are covalently attached via a UV photocleavable linker to
DNA indexing oligos. Following antigen retrieval, FFPE tissue
samples are stained with a multiplexed cocktail of labeled
antibodies, and DNA oligos are subsequently released by
UV light exposure across regions of interest. The liberated
DNA oligos are then hybridized to optical barcodes for
quantitation on an nCounter or NGS instrument. This
technique enables quantitative, multiplexed protein detection
up to 5.5 logs of dynamic range.
Key Features and Benefits of DSP technology
– Multiplex many analytes on one tissue section in
a single pass
– Quantitation based on linear single-molecule
counting: up to 5.5 logs
– Single-cell limit of detection
– Non-destructive: sample completely intact after assay
– Single antigen retrieval without effects from
order-of-addition