Summary

This is a Decision to Restrict Competition under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold document from the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA Agricultural Research Service, Plant Science Research Unit in Raleigh, North Carolina is seeking targeted genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) services for 2,304 wheat samples using the AgriSeq Wheat 4K genotyping panel. The requirement is based in Fiscal Year 2026 and the estimated grand total value is redacted. The resulting genetic marker data will support the Plant Science Research Unit's investigation into complex genetic traits of plants. The Requesting Activity Agency is ARS-124AEE, and the Contracting Activity is 4441.

The justification for restricting competition identifies a single source provider as the only service provider currently possessing the custom AgriSeq Wheat 4K genotyping panel that USDA developed in conjunction with the identified vendor. This vendor is noted as the only service provider that has processed samples with this panel since its development in 2025. The restriction is further justified by the significant upfront investment of tens of thousands of dollars required for other potential providers to obtain the panel, the need for specific Ion-Torrent sequencing instrumentation that is not widely deployed, and the requirement for access to panel-specific reference files necessary for proper analysis of sequence data. Market research conducted through Google searches, SAM.gov reviews, and Microsoft Copilot queries confirmed no additional commercial vendors routinely offer this specific service.