LUV01122 The supply, installation, commissioning, training and maintenance of a high-plex combined automated tissue section staining and imaging system with associated analysis software.

The University of Leicester wishes to procure a combined automated tissue staining and imaging platform (High-plex tissue imaging platform - HPTIP), with an associated analysis software package for the rapid, non-destructive high-plex staining, imaging and analysis of research samples including human and mouse formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections. The system MUST be supplied as a single package (and single invoice) containing the instrument/hardware, software, installation, commissioning and training. Award of contract is subject to: 1) Provision of grant funding to the University via the MRC medium equipment award 2022 (a decision on which is not expected before the end of October 2022); and 2) Agreement by the successful supplier that the contract will be concluded and paid for by 31st of March 2022 (after which the grant expires)

The Leicester Cancer Research Centre (LCRC) and the University of Leicester Advanced Imaging Facility (AIF) wishes to procure a combined automated tissue staining and imaging platform (High-plex tissue imaging platform – HPTIP) with associated analysis software package for the rapid, non-destructive high-plex staining, imaging and analysis of research samples including human and mouse formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections and cryo sections. The AIF presently houses a low-plex whole slide scanning system to image whole stained tissue sections capable of analysing up to 8 biomarkers on a single section. Procurement of the new system is intended to both increase capacity of this system by providing a new imaging platform and to improve capability by allowing the simultaneous detection of significantly more markers on a single slide than our capabilities currently allow. This will be a multi-user piece of equipment which will be used by multiple groups across the College of Life Sciences

The system MUST be supplied as a single package (and single invoice) containing the instrument/hardware, software, installation, commissioning, training and maintenance.

The University proposes awarding (subject to successful grant funding via the MRC medium equipment award 2022) a contract for a suitable device by carrying out an open tender exercise under the Public Contract Regulations.