High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment

Tampere University Foundation sr is publishing direct award notice, for upgraded setup of 'High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment'. Tampere University Foundation sr is publishing direct award notice, for upgraded setup of 'High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment'.

CPV: 38000000 Laboriseadmed, optika- ja täppisinstrumendid (v.a klaasid)
Täitmise koht:
High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment
Auhindade andmise asutus:
Tampere University Foundation sr
Auhinna number:
TAU/2007/2025

1. Buyer

1.1 Buyer

Official name : Tampere University Foundation sr
Legal type of the buyer : Body governed by public law
Activity of the contracting authority : Education

2. Procedure

2.1 Procedure

Title : High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment
Description : Tampere University Foundation sr is publishing direct award notice, for upgraded setup of 'High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment'.
Procedure identifier : febc9316-c477-4098-b832-a9943b8fc095
Internal identifier : TAU/2007/2025
Type of procedure : Negotiated without prior call for competition

2.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Supplies
Main classification ( cpv ): 38000000 Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

2.1.2 Place of performance

Country subdivision (NUTS) : Pirkanmaa ( FI197 )
Country : Finland

2.1.4 General information

Legal basis :
Directive 2014/24/EU

5. Lot

5.1 Lot technical ID : LOT-0000

Title : High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment
Description : Tampere University Foundation sr is publishing direct award notice, for upgraded setup of 'High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment'.
Internal identifier : TAU/2007/2025

5.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Supplies
Main classification ( cpv ): 38000000 Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

5.1.2 Place of performance

Country subdivision (NUTS) : Pirkanmaa ( FI197 )
Country : Finland
Additional information :

5.1.6 General information

Procurement Project not financed with EU Funds.
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) : yes

5.1.10 Award criteria

Criterion :
Type : Quality
Name : Quality
Description : Quality
Category of award weight criterion : Fixed value (total)
Award criterion number : 100
Description of the method to be used if weighting cannot be expressed by criteria :
Justification for not indicating the weighting of the award criteria :

5.1.16 Further information, mediation and review

Review organisation : Markkinaoikeus -
Organisation whose budget is used to pay for the contract : Tampere University Foundation sr
Organisation executing the payment : Tampere University Foundation sr
Organisation signing the contract : Tampere University Foundation sr

6. Results

Value of all contracts awarded in this notice : 255 000 Euro
Direct award :
Justification for direct award : The contract can be provided only by a particular economic operator because of an absence of competition for technical reasons
Other justification : BACKGROUND Brain disorders are one of the greatest health challenges; ~165 million Europeans are living with a brain disorder. It is estimated that 1 in 3 people will suffer from a neurological and/or psychiatric disorder during their lives. Similarly, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the predominant cause of disability and premature death in the European Region, causing over 42.5% of all deaths annually. The global cost of these disorders together to European healthcare budgets is estimated to be over 1000 € billion per year, and this is expected to increase further as Europe’s population ages and becomes more susceptible to brain disorders. Many of these disorders are highly debilitating and have no permanent cure. Electrophysiological techniques allow comprehensive understanding of the biological basis of functioning of these cell types in health and in pathological conditions. Furthermore, these techniques allow the investigation of novel therapeutic targets/treatments in human cell-based models in vitro, in human tissue slides ex vivo and in animal models in vivo. Microelectrode array (MEA) systems are one novel tool in big picture of electrophysiology that will help the basic and preclinical research on brain and cardia diseases with a goal to efficiently translate preclinical research findings into efficient treatment, prevention and diagnosis. Electrophysiological experiments require expensive equipment and deep methodological knowhow. The core facility for electrophysiological measurements ( https://www.tuni.fi/en/research/electrophysiological-measurements) in Faculty of Medicine and Health technology Tampere University, also part FinE platform in Biocenter Finland ( https://biocenter.fi/technology-platform-services/finnish-electrophysiology/) , enables research groups and non-academic users even with no prior or low experience in electrophysiological recordings, to have access to state-of-art (SoA) electrophysiological facilities and provides user training and expertise in planning and executing experiments. NEED Tampere University Electrophysiology core facility’s existing Multiwell MEA system Axion Maestro 768L has entered discontinued product state and is no longer supported for updates and after long life cycle is experiencing frequent malfunctions. Thus, the plan to update the system is essential for continuation of electrophysiological measurements of neuronal and cardiac cells in several ongoing in-house projects and as services for other users. The to be purchased system does not only replace the previous system but provides novel tools to gain state-of-the-art recordings and analysis methods. MEA technology is one of the core methods to study electrophysiological characteristics of patient cell lines derived neuronal and cardiac cells and their function both in normal and diseased conditions. Minimum requirement is to fill at least technical specifications of the previous system: • At least 12,5 kHz data sampling frequency to identify fast occurring electrophysiological events in neuronal and cardiac cells • 768 measurement electrodes divided to MEA wells in range well plates sizes mimicking standard well culture plates (e.g. 6, 12, 24, 48, 96 well formats). 48 well plate format containing 16 electrodes in each well for high content recordings to enable high quality network activity detection. This is minimum requirement for new system. • Enabling medium to high throughput analysis • Option for transparent sample area in wells for imaging cell growth, morphology for identification • Ability to induce and measure cardiac local extracellular action potentials (LEAP) on any and every electrode in a plate • Integrated impedance measurements for cell viability and neuro/cardio-toxicity analysis • Temperature and gas environment control for measurement chamber to enable stable long-term measurements. • Advanced analysis software packages specifically designed for neuronal and cardiac cell analysis CONCLUSION FOR DIRECT AWARD There are currently three options in the market for Multiwell MEA systems, listed below. 1) Alphamed MED64-Presto • 336 measuring electrodes (+48 reference electrodes) • Has 48 wells per plate format, but each well has only 8 electrodes • Transparent plates • Temperature and CO2-feed control possible with pre-mixed gases • Analysis tools available with license • 20 kHz data sampling frequency 2) Axion Biosystems Maestro Pro • 768 measuring electrodes • 48 well plate format (with 16 electrodes) available for different applications • Transparent wells available for cell culture health tracking • 12,5 kHz data sampling frequency • Cell viability and neuro/cardiac toxicity assays via impedance measurement • Analysis module licenses for neuronal and cardiac cells other merits: • MEA creator kit for engineers for designing custom made well plates 3) Multi channel Systems Multiwell-MEA • 288 measuring electrodes • No 48 well format, in 24 well plate format on 12 electrodes/well • Temperature adjustment, but no CO2-feed available • 50 kHz data sampling frequency There are also CMOS based MEA devices in the market, meant for high resolution measurements in subcellular level, containing thousands of electrodes/well. Those do not fit the need for to be purchased device. Axion Maestro Pro is the only instrument in the market which meets all technical requirements to fulfil the needs of research groups. The new device is from the same manufacturer as the old one, so the main operations are then familiar for users, thus no need for extensive new training. The in-house build analysis algorithms, other processing software and analysis pipelines developed and utilized with previous device are compatible with the new device. This enables feasible use and merge of experimental data gained with both systems together. If we will purchase another manufacturer's hardware, the internal software development costs alone will delay studies significantly.

6.1 Result lot ldentifier : LOT-0000

6.1.2 Information about winners

Winner :
Official name : Axion BioSystems, Inc.
Tender :
Tender identifier : AxionBS/ TAU/2007/2025
Identifier of lot or group of lots : LOT-0000
Contract information :
Identifier of the contract : TAU/2007/2025
Title : High-content microelectrode array (MEA) equipment
Date on which the winner was chosen : 10/04/2025
Organisation signing the contract : Tampere University Foundation sr

8. Organisations

8.1 ORG-0001

Official name : Tampere University Foundation sr
Registration number : 2844561-8
Town : Tampere
Postcode : 33100
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Pirkanmaa ( FI197 )
Country : Finland
Contact point : Arto Heikkilä
Telephone : +358 2945211
Internet address : http://www.tuni.fi/en
Roles of this organisation :
Buyer
Organisation signing the contract
Organisation whose budget is used to pay for the contract
Organisation executing the payment

8.1 ORG-0002

Official name : Markkinaoikeus
Registration number : 3006157-6
Postal address : Radanrakentajantie 5
Town : Helsinki
Postcode : 00520
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Helsinki-Uusimaa ( FI1B1 )
Country : Finland
Telephone : +358 295643300
Roles of this organisation :
Review organisation

8.1 ORG-0003

Official name : Axion BioSystems, Inc.
Size of the economic operator : Micro, small, or medium
Registration number : 917133535
Postal address : 1819 Peachtree Road
Town : Atlanta, GA
Postcode : 30309
Country : United States
Telephone : +14044772557
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0000

8.1 ORG-0004

Official name : Hansel Oy (Hilma)
Registration number : FI09880841
Postal address : Mannerheiminaukio 1a
Town : Helsinki
Postcode : 00100
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Helsinki-Uusimaa ( FI1B1 )
Country : Finland
Contact point : eSender
Telephone : 029 55 636 30
Roles of this organisation :
TED eSender
Notice information
Notice identifier/version : 352968b9-791d-4de7-94e1-cc1777922c50 - 01
Form type : Direct award preannouncement
Notice type : Voluntary ex-ante transparency notice
Notice dispatch date : 11/04/2025 04:02 +00:00
Notice dispatch date (eSender) : 11/04/2025 04:02 +00:00
Languages in which this notice is officially available : English
Notice publication number : 00239594-2025
OJ S issue number : 73/2025
Publication date : 14/04/2025