DNA SEQUENCING

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government.   All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary, and the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government.

USDA’s  Plant Genetics Resources Unit (PGRU) and Grape Genetic Research Unit (GGRU) is seeking a contractor to provide the following:

1.  Illumina sequencing library preparation:
   1.    Must be able to prepare rhAmpSeq libraries using the Vitis core genome panel:
      1. Includes amplification, barcoding, clean-up and quality check.
      2. With proven track record of success in Vitis.
   2.   Must be able to prepare plant skimseq libraries:
      1. Includes amplification, barcoding, clean-up and quality check.
      2. With proven track record of success in plants.
   3.  Must be able to prepare plant RNAseq libraries:
      1. Includes amplification, barcoding, clean-up and quality check.
      2. With proven track record of success in plants.
2. Illumina Sequencing:
   1.    Must be able to complete Illumina sequencing:
      1. With flexible options ranging from 50bp reads to 2x300bp reads.
      2. With flexible options in read depth from nano MiSeq to NextSeq 2000.
      3. With data directly delivered to USDA-ARS research servers at Cornell Bioinformatics Facility.

The core mission of the Plant Genetics Resources Unit (PGRU) and Grape Genetic Research Unit (GGRU) centers on genetic characterization and utilization of crop diversity. As part of this mission, numerous projects rely on the genetic analysis of hundreds to thousands of individual plants with large numbers of DNA markers and RNA gene expression.  This genetic analysis requires standard steps: DNA or RNA isolation, Library preparation, Sequencing, and Bioinformatic data analyses.  It is critical that these steps are reproducible.

This Sources Sought is only for the purpose of identifying potential sources as part of USDA’s  market research. No Request for Quote (RFQ) exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the RFQ.

Responses to this Sources Sought are not quotes on which USDA can issue any contract. This Sources Sought is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not itself constitute an RFQ. The Government does not intend to award a contract or BPA based only on responses to this Sources Sought.

All information received in response to this Sources Sought marked "Proprietary" will be protected and handled accordingly. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response.

In response to this source sought, please provide:

1.  Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, SAM Unique Entity Identification Number (UEI),  CAGE code, a statement regarding business status indicating rather large or small (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code for your business.

2.  Information whether your firm already has technologies in place to meet the requirements outlined.

3.  Identify whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement.

4.  Provide any Information to help determine if the requirement is commercially available, delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, proprietary information, etc.

5.  Provide any recommendations to improve the approach/specifications to acquiring the identified item.

Responses to this Sources Sought will not be returned. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. USDA ARS will not pay for information received in response to this Sources Sought.

Please send responses with the subject heading USDA DNA SEQUENCING  to Tyshanah Holloway’s email address: Tyshanah.Holloway@usda.gov by February 20,  2023 at 10:00am EST.