Inactive

This special notice is in accordance with FAR 5.2, Synopses of Proposed Contract Action. This is a notice of intent to make a sole source award and is not a solicitation or request for competitive quo... This special notice is in accordance with FAR 5.2, Synopses of Proposed Contract Action. This is a notice of intent to make a sole source award and is not a solicitation or request for competitive quotes. This award will be made utilizing Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with: Federal Acquisition Regulation 13.106-1(b)(1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting Officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deems only one source reasonably available. USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Midwest Area (MWA), Corn Insect and Crop Genetics Research Unit in Ames, IA is interested in using ATAC-Seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing) to test the chromatin accessibility and gene regulation of these TFs in the gene promoters of two barley lines: CI 16151 (Mla6), which is resistant to the powdery mildew fungus, and it’s derived mutants, mla6-m18982, (mla6 + bln1)-m19028, and bln1-m19089. A Sources Sought was published on SAM.gov the Government Point of Entry on 12 July 2023 with responses due 20 July 2023. Since no responses were received a second Sources Sought with a revised scope was published on SAM.gov on 9 August 2023 with a response due date of 15 August 2023. The second sources sought resulted in 2 submissions. After reviewing the submissions, it was determined that neither of the contractors would be able to satisfy the Government’s needs. Only one source has been found that is able to meet the government requirements. USDA-ARS MWA Procurement Office in Peoria, IL on behalf of the Corn Insect and Crop Genetics Research Unit in Ames, IA intends to make a firm fixed price sole source award under the authority of FAR 13 106 l(b)(l)(i) under the authority of FAR 13.106-l(b)(l)(i), only one responsible source, to: Active Motif, Inc. 1914 Palomar Oaks STE 150 Carlsbad, CA 92008-6510 The objective of this sole source award is to procure ATAC-Seq analysis which meet the following required specifications. The vendor will isolate and tag pure nuclei from 48 frozen samples total = 4 genotypes (CI 16151, + mla6-m18982, (mla6 + bln1)-m19028, and bln1-m19089 mutants) x 4 timepoints [0, 20, 24, 32 hours after inoculation (HAI) with powdery mildew (Blumeria hordei)] x 3 biological replications. ATAC-Seq analysis will take into account: 48 libraries total 2x150bp, Paired End reads (>50M reads/sample), single index Quality check, alignment to reference genomes of barley, identification of accessible regions (peak calling). Contractor’s personnel must have knowledge of nuclei isolation and ATAC Sequencing from frozen plant (barley) tissue, not fixed tissue. This tissue will be infected with powdery mildew, and the contractor should also have experience separating and enriching barley nuclei from powdery mildew nuclei using flow cytometry or similar methods. Required ATAC-Seq service requirements include the following: Library testing and validation 4 samples total = 2 genotypes (CI 16151, mla6-m18982 mutant) x 2 treatments [non-inoculated and 48 hours after inoculation (HAI)] ATAC-sequencing 48 libraries total = 4 genotypes (CI 16151, + mla6-m18982, (mla6 + bln1)-m19028, and bln1-m19089 mutants) x 4 timepoints [0, 16, 20, 32 hours after inoculation (HAI)] x 3 biological replications. Nuclei extraction and tagmentation-based library construction from frozen barley tissue. 2x150bp, Paired End reads (>50M reads/sample), single index, ATAC-Seq Data Analysis Quality check, alignment to reference barley (MorexV2/V3) genomes, identification of accessible regions (peak calling). Contractor should consult with USDA-ARS client and provide expert bioinformatic analysis of differential regions of chromatin accessibility between samples. Contractor’s personnel must have knowledge in ATAC Sequencing from frozen plant (barley) tissue. The contractor should offer expertise in nuclei extraction and tagmentation-based library construction from plant (barley) tissue. The complexity of our samples, which contain both barley and powdery mildew tissue, will likely require optimization by all vendors. As such, purchase from Active Motif, Inc. of Carlsbad, CA has been determined to be required as they are the only vendor available that meets all of the requirements outlined above. The NAICS code for this requirement is 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) with a small business size standard of $34 Million. The PSC code for this requirement is R699. NO solicitation or solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is NOT a request for competitive quotations; however, interested vendors that regard themselves as capable of providing a product that can fulfill the requirements are invited to submit responses to the Government for consideration. Interested parties may identify their interests and capability to respond to this requirement by NO later than Thursday, August 31 (08/31/2023) at 2:00PM (CT) to Debora Wells at debora.wells@usda.gov. NO phone calls will be accepted. The e-mail subject line shall include: 12505B23Q0228NOITSS. Any submission in response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence as well as be in sufficient enough detail to show that they can provide a product that would meet the Government’s need and that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a competitive procurement. Again, this is NOT a request for competitive quotes. This notice is for informational purposes only. Responses received shall be considered by the agency; however, determination by the Government whether or not to compete this proposed award upon response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. No reimbursement for any cost connected with providing capability information will be provided.