FAR 13 Single Source or Brand Name Justification Less Than SAT v2.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture Limited Source/Brand Name Justification

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) – Simplified Acquisitions Control No. (if applicable) ______________________

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

Agency Name

USDA APHIS PPQ S&T PITL

Contracting Activity

USDA APHIS MRPBS AAMD

2. Description of supply or service required to meet the agency’s needs.

GridION Sequencing Device Mk1 and associated startup materials. A long-read DNA sequencer is required for generation of high-throughput sequence data used in several applications including screening, data generation for method development, data for genome assembly, and cross-platform confirmation.

3. The rationale or circumstances for limiting competition.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) is the only manufacturer that produces a device that directly sequences long DNA and RNA fragments without synthesis using a pore-based method. While other long-read sequencing technologies exist, due to their cost and scale they do not meet the needs of the PITL lab. Additionally, several protocols of the lab, such as intragenomic ribotyping, have been developed around ONT sequencing data and thus require ONT data for continuation of these projects.

4. A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was not conducted because no other manufacturer produces a long-read sequencer of this type.

5. Estimated price, including all options, if applicable.

6. Recommended source(s).

Oxford Nanopore Technologies

Certifications

Supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel and which form the basis for this justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.