Question and Answers.pdf

1. Are subcontract laboratories permitted to perform the required DNA analyses?

I would prefer not to have the main contractor sub-contract out the work. I would rather have the award winner be the one to directly perform the work.

1. If a subcontract laboratory performs the analyses, will the Government accept the subcontract laboratory’s internal Quality Management System documentation as proof of the required QMS?

Yes

2. Is a facility clearance required?

No.

3. Please clarify the definition of one “job.” Does one job represent one sample receiving both 16S and 18S analyses, or is each individual 16S or 18S analysis considered a separate job?

One job equates to the total number of units submitted for analyses, using prices established in the Pricing Table in RFQ. Analyses on the sample submitted by the Govrnment/Universitymust be analyzed using both 16S and 18S analyses test methods.

Please confirm the anticipated sample types and conditions. For example, will the contractor receive water samples, biofilm swabs, filters, scraped biomass, extracted DNA, or a combination of sample types?

Some samples will consist of seawater (without any biofilm scrapings included). Other samples will consist of filtered seawater and biofilm scrapings. The volume of the samples will be approximately 2 milliliters.

4. How many samples will they have for this project?

As specified in the RFQ, the minimum guarantee under this contract is 510 units. The total ceiling value is established at 1.710 units for the five (5) year ordering period

5. Does the client require full length 16S and full length 18S amplicon sequencing or only partial region (eg 16S V3-V4)?

The exact regions that are required to be sampled will be specified in individual task orders .

6. What is the number of reads the client require?

The maximum number of reads that can be achieved per sample.

Peckham, Elizabeth A CIV USN NUWC NEWPORT RI (USA) This is Tom’s answer but I’m not sure it’s his determination?

Michael, Teresa M CIV USN NUWC DIV NEWPORT RI (USA) We can’t limit to only prime contractors but maybe we should reconsider the criteria, such as proof of personnel experience, if ISO applies and they are required to submit proof. This will all flow down to the sub if they are proposing one.

Michael, Teresa M CIV USN NUWC DIV NEWPORT RI (USA) Would be yes and any other criteria we add

Peckham, Elizabeth A CIV USN NUWC NEWPORT RI (USA) Can we say this even though this will be the first task order?

Michael, Teresa M CIV USN NUWC DIV NEWPORT RI (USA) We can rephrase this to cite/regurgitate the RFQ

7. The SOW states requirement of security, does this SOW requires the contractor passing certain security clearance check? If we provide quote, will we also being audit by the client?

No to both

8. We have reviewed SAM.gov and noted that the submission due date is Jul 29, 2026 02:00 pm EDT. Could you please confirm if this date is correct and if there have been any updates or amendments that may not have been posted yet?

The due date has been extended to 08/10/2026 per Amendment 2.

9. Definition of "Job." Does one Job represent a single sample analyzed by both 16S and 18S protocols, or a single assay (such that a sample requiring both would count as two Jobs)? This materially affects unit pricing.

See question 4.

10. Quantity range 75-99. FAR 52.216-19(a) establishes a minimum order of 75 DNA analyses, while the lowest band in the Pricing Table begins at 100. Please confirm which unit price applies to orders between 75 and 99 Jobs.

Quantity range in pricing table has been amended to 75-200.

11. Sample matrix. SOW paragraph 2.0 refers to biofilm samples while paragraph 4.1 refers to water samples. Please confirm the expected sample type, approximate volume or surface area per sample, and the preservation method in which samples will arrive (frozen, ethanol, nucleic acid preservation buffer, or other).

There will be both “seawater only” and filtered seawater plus biofilm scrapings” samples. The approximate volume of each samples will be 2 milliliters. The surface area of the test panels scraped for the biofilm samples may vary depending upon the thickness and density of the biofilm present on each panel to be sampled. The test lab should be able to handle both frozen and chemically preserved samples.

12. Sequencing and analysis parameters. Does the Government have a required target region for 16S (for example V3-V4 or V4) and 18S (for example V4 or V9), a minimum read depth per sample, or a preferred reference database for taxonomic assignment? If not specified, we will propose industry-standard parameters in our technical approach.

Michael, Teresa M CIV USN NUWC DIV NEWPORT RI (USA) Confirm with Tom 75 or 100 for minimum order

We will work with the vendor to follow industry standards. For the 16S analyses, we want to target the V4 region, and for the 18S analyses, we are interested in diatom types and abundances and are interested in the V9 region. Reads per sample should be sufficient to identify microbial diversity and should range from about 10,000 to 50,000.

Reference databases should be appropriate for the analyses (e.g., NCBI GenBank or SILVA V138.1 Reference Database).

13. Page limitation. Please confirm whether the one-page limitation applies to the technical approach and the QMS documentation combined, or to the QMS documentation alone.

Both the technical plan and the proof of internal QMS.

14. For CLIN 0001, could you please clarify what constitutes one "Job" for pricing purposes?

Specifically, should one Job be interpreted as a single sample requiring the 16S and 18S analyses described in the Statement of Work, or is a Job intended to represent another unit of work?

See questions 4 and 11

15. How many samples will they have for this project?

See question 6

16. Does the client require full length 16S and full length 18S amplicon sequencing or only partial region (eg 16S V3-V4)?

See question 7

17. What is the number of reads the client require?

See question 8

18. The SOW states requirement of security, does this SOW requires the contractor passing certain security clearance check? If we provide quote, will we also being audit by the client?

See question 9