Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Retail Meat

Country:

Canada

City/Locality:

Canada

Notice/Contract Number:

can:153652

Publication Date:

Jul 8, 2008

Deadline:

Jul 21, 2008

Buyer:

Public Health Agency of Canada Agence de la santé publique du Canada

Original Language:

English

Address:

Kate Svazas
Assets and Materiel Management 785 Carling Avenue
Ottawa , ON K1A 0K9
Canada

Telephone:

613-960-0911

Fax:

613-960-0364

Email:

Click here

73200000 - Research and development consultancy services

Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Retail Meat

TITLE: Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Retail Meat in Atlantic Canada: Sample Collection & Laboratory Analysis (2008-2009 and 2009-2010).

SOLICITATION NUMBER: 1000089263

1. The purpose and explanation of an ACAN

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows Health Canada contracting authorities to post a notice on MERX, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that a good, service or construction contract will be awarded to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority may then proceed with the award. However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full tendering process.

2. Rights of suppliers

Suppliers who believe that they are fully qualified and available to provide the services or goods described in this ACAN may submit a Statement of Capabilities clearly demonstrating how they meet the advertised requirement. This Statement of Capabilities must be provided via e-mail only to the contact person identified in Section 11 of the Notice on or before the closing date and time of the Notice. If there is a reasonable level of evidence regarding capability, the requirements will be opened to electronic or traditional bidding processes.

3. Definition of Requirements or Expected Results

The Contractor will perform a thorough reading(s) of the most current version of the CIPARS-Retail Supervisor’s manual (provided by the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Unit, Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses) to ensure that all instructions and protocols described within the field manuals are strictly adhered to. These manuals will act as important references.

Identify (through random selection) appropriate census divisions and stores for sample collection. Census division and store selection shall be in accordance with the recommendations made following the 2004 & 2007 Maritimes CIPARS-Retail pilot projects.

Act as a consultant for training the field worker (to be employed by the Public Health Agency of Canada) and provide all sampling protocols and a sampling schedule to the field worker.

Ensure, review and validate, according to an agreed upon sampling schedule and protocol, the bi-weekly (i.e. every other week) purchase/sampling (performed by the provided field worker) of fresh (not previously frozen) skin-on chicken legs, ground beef (regular, medium, lean and extra lean) and pork shoulder chops from retail outlets in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and potentially Newfoundland and Labrador as outlined in the 2007 field-worker’s manual to be provided by the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Unit, Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses.

Validate the collection of the accompanying store and sample (epidemiological) data at retail outlets in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and potentially Newfoundland and Labrador according to the sampling schedule mentioned above.

Review and validate the collection of the associated sample, store-related and other epidemiological data (captured initially via hardcopy paper submission form), as outlined in the 2007 field manuals.

Validate the sample and store-related data for accuracy and subsequently forward (at regular time intervals to be determined) such data to the CIPARS laboratory located in Saint Hyacinthe, Québec for electronic data entry into the CIPARS Central Data Repository.

Perform the primary isolation (i.e. culture) of Campylobacter, Salmonella, generic E. coli and Enterococcus from all meat samples collected following the protocols defined by the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance.

Perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) for the E. coli isolates using the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System Sensititre Gram Negative public health plate configuration and following the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance protocols.

Ship all Campylobacter, Salmonella, generic E. coli and Enterococcus isolates recovered from the Atlantic Canada retail meat samples to the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance laboratory in Saint Hyacinthe, Québec.

Provide regular (time interval to be determined) reports of the raw data for both the bacterial culture isolation and E. coli antimicrobial susceptibility results.

Provide regular (time interval to be determined) reports summarizing the results of the bacterial cultures and E. coli antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Review and validate the forwarding of the meat samples and appropriate sample-related data (i.e. sample identification code assigned by CIPARS which must be preserved exactly as it appears) to the designated laboratory situated in Atlantic Canada (e.g. Prince Edward Island Food Technology Centre) or as directed by the Departmental Representative, for processing and microbiological testing.

Program the temperature recording devices to be included in the coolers containing the meat samples each sampling week followed by downloading of the temperature data after sampling as well as storage of said data both electronically and in hardcopy.

4. Proposed contractor

University of Prince Edward Island
Dept. Health Management - Atlantic Veterinary College
550 University Avenue
Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3

Representative & Contact:
Dr. J Trenton McClure
Associate Professor, Dept. Health Management

5. Trade agreements

Research and Development services are not subject to NAFTA. Reference: Paragraph 1001.1b-2

The proposed procurement is subject to the following trade agreements: 1) The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT).

Applicable Limited Tendering Provision(s):
AIT: Article 506.12, section (b) and (h).

6. Reason for the non-competitive award

With respect to the Treasury Board Directives, the proposed work falls under Section 6(d) which states that the contracting authority may enter into a contract without soliciting bids where only one person is capable of performing. In this case, the expertise, geographical location as well as laboratory existence and suitable laboratory capacity of the contractor represent reasons why only one person/organization is capable of performing this work in a timely manner.

7. Ownership of Intellectual Property

Ownership of intellectual property created during the course of the contract will rest with the contractor.

8. Period of the proposed contract

The contract period shall be from date of contract award until March 31, 2010 with the possibility of one (1) option year following the time interval specified above.

9. Estimated value of the proposed contract

The total estimated amount for the proposed contract shall not exceed $186,243.75, including travel and living expenses (if applicable), and all applicable taxes.

10. Closing date and time

The closing date for accepting Statements of Capabilities is July 21, 2008 at 14:00 PM EST.

11. Contact Person

All inquiries with regard to this Notice must be addressed by e-mail to:

Kate Svazas
Email: Kate_a_Svazas@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Estimated value: $100,001 - $250,000
Original notice

Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Retail Meat - ACAN

Request For Proposals

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Contact Information

Goods, Works and Services

Original Text

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