Provision of DNA Microarray System (Rental Reagent)

The Laboratory Genetics department forms part of the West of Scotland Genetic Services of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGG&C) and provides a comprehensive diagnostic genetic service for the patients of the West of Scotland (population >2.7 million). The department encompasses cytogenetics and molecular diagnostic testing for the specialist diagnosis and/or monitoring of patients with constitutional (prenatal and postnatal) and acquired (malignancy) genetic abnormalities in hereditary genetic disease, solid tumours as well as adult and childhood leukaemia. It is one of four regional laboratories that form the Scottish Genetics Laboratories Consortium and the Scottish Molecular Pathology Consortium, with the other centres being located in NHS Grampian, NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside. These services are nationally commissioned specialised services and are funded by National Services Division, NHS Scotland.

This Specification represents the technical and functional requirements that the chosen system has to meet. Prospective suppliers who are - or will be - unable to meet these will not be considered further. If there are any areas of the tender response that are under development, this must be made clear within the documentation submitted by suppliers.

Suppliers are invited to submit responses against the specification for the supply of a DNA microarray system. The DNA microarray system is referred to as “the system” throughout the technical specification and this encompasses the end to end system inclusive of all equipment, ancillary equipment and software. The microarray system is required to enable Laboratory Genetics to deliver their microarray testing remit which includes CNV analysis for germline (constitutional) disease including for the diagnosis intellectual disability, microdeletion/ microduplication syndromes, epilepsy, multiple congenital abnormalities and inherited structural abnormalities along with prenatal and pregnancy loss testing. It is also required for the somatic (acquired) cancer services.

The current throughput of this laboratory for DNA microarray analysis is 2300 tests per year and this is the throughput that should be considered for tender. However, the tender should describe any options for further equipment provision should the service expand significantly and any associated costs should be included.

The current system is Illumina Infinium CytoSNP-850Kv1.2 BeadChip using and Illumina NextSeq550 microarray scanner. Analysis is currently performed using Illumina BlueFuse Multi v4.5.