Full-Length RNA Sequencing Kits

This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition.  It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.  Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes.  No award will be made as a result of this notice.  The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.  This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

Background:  

The study of biomarkers associated with healthy aging will help in uncover the mechanisms of biological aging including the accumulation of damage as well as intervening homeostatic mechanisms. This study is designed to collect and analyze biomarkers from immune cells of healthy individuals dispersed over a wide age range. Traditional high-throughput RNA and DNA sequencing encounter difficulties with the generation of full-length transcripts due to the fragmentation required by most traditional methods. With nanopore technology, entire fragments are sequenced, regardless of their length. Hence, a full-length RNA and DNA can be sequenced as a single fragment, reducing multiple-locus alignment issues later. Long reads are range from 1 – 100 kb, making the identification of full-length transcripts much easier than using traditional sequencing platforms. Nanopore is the only sequencing technology which can sequence RNA and DNA directly allowing the study of transcript isoforms, splice variants and and DNA methylation. Moreover, unlike traditional DNA and RNA-Seq, the full-length DNA/RNA sequencing capabilities of the nanopore allow the detection of epigenetic RNA and DNA modifications.

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Purpose and Objectives: The purpose of this acquisition is to procure a full-length RNA and DNA sequencing flow cells, PCR-cDNA barcoding Kit, Ultra Long and Ligation DNA sequencing kits. The objectives of this acquisition are to do full-length DNA- and RNA-Seq for immune cells.

Description:

Contractor will provide the following:

• FLO-PRO114 Promethion Flow Cells v 10.4.1 (Pack of 4)  Qty. 40
• SQK-PCB111.24 Sequencing Kit, PCR-cDNA Barcoding Kit v111 (6 rxns) Qty. 10
• SQK-LSK114 Sequencing Kit, Ligation sequencing v Kit 14 (6 rxns) Qty 24
• SQK-ULK114 Sequencing Kit, Ultra Long v Kit 14 (6 rxns) Qty. 15
• FLO-MIN114 Flow Cell, MinION/GridION v10.4.1 Qty 200

Since the kits expiration date is short (around 3 months) we will have a minimum of 5 shipments and a maximum of 8 shipments during the year starting 30 days after placing the order.

Anticipated delivery:  12 months

Place of Performance:

251 Bayview Blvd

Baltimore, MD 21224

Capability statement /information sought. Contractors that believe they possess the ability to provide the requirement should submit documentation of their ability to meet each of the project requirements to the Contract Specialist. The response should directly and specifically state in the, capabilities statement, which project requirements you can supply. Contractors must also provide their Company Name, DUNS Number, Physical Address, Point of Contact, and Size and Type of Business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.) pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

One (1) copy of the response is required and must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format using 11-point or 12-point font, 8-1/2” x 11” paper size, with 1” top, bottom, left and right margins, and with single or double spacing.

The information submitted must be must be in and outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirement and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein.  A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response is limited to ten (10) page limit.  The 10-page limit does not include the cover page, executive summary, or references, if requested.

The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

All responses (capability statements) sent in response to this Small Business Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) to the Contract Specialist. Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

The response must be submitted to Andrea Clay, Contract Specialist at e-mail address amcgee@mail.nih.gov

The response must be received on or before June 14, 2023 at 12:00PM, eastern time.

 “Disclaimer and Important Notes:  This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).”