Sources_Sought_1.docx

Sources Sought

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting market research to determine the availability of qualified businesses capable of RNA sequencing on an ilumina NovaSeq X Plus and library preparation described in the attached statement of work. This sources sought announcement is not a request for quote or proposal and the Government is not committed to award of a purchase order or contract pursuant to this announcement. The information resulting from this market research is simply for planning purposes to assist the Government in determining its acquisition strategy. The Government will not pay for any costs incurred in the preparation of information for responding to this notice.

NAICS code: 541380 – Testing Laboratories and Services Size Standard $19.0 million

All responsible sources may submit capability statements detailing the ability of their service to meet the statement of work included with this announcement.

Please indicate whether you are a small business or large business under this size standard in your response.

Responses to this announcement shall only be accepted through electronic mail addressed to Anthony_berry@ios.doi.gov and must be uploaded and received in their entirety no later than September 15th at 0700 Pacific time.

EXAMPLE statement of work attached subject to change.

Statement of Work (SOW): RNA Sequencing Services

1. Background / Purpose USGS requires RNA sequencing services to support ongoing research, this SOW defines technical requirements, deliverables, responsibilities, and timelines.

2. Scope of Work The Vendor shall perform poly‑A–selected RNA library preparation, quality control, high‑throughput sequencing, data delivery, and project communication for ninety‑six RNA samples provided by USGS.

3. Government Responsibilities

· Provide ninety‑six purified RNA samples (≥1 µg, ≥10 ng/µL).

· Provide project points of contact and respond to vendor inquiries.

· Deliver samples according to agreed shipping conditions.

4. Vendor Responsibilities

· Perform poly‑A selected RNA library preparation using the Watchmaker Genomics mRNA kit or equivalent.

· Conduct all required QC (including TapeStation).

· Conduct sequencing on an Illumina NovaSeq X Plus, 1×75 bp single‑read mode, using two lanes.

· Guarantee minimum yield of 10M pass‑filter reads per sample.

· Deliver raw FastQ files, QC documentation, and sequencing run metrics.

· Provide secure data transfer using encrypted or otherwise approved secure delivery.

· Notify USGS of any issues affecting scope, schedule, or data integrity.

5. Technical Requirements

· Each lane shall yield approximately 800M pass‑filter reads (~80 Gbp).

· All samples must pass QC prior to sequencing; Vendor must notify USGS of failures.

· Vendor must maintain chain-of-custody and proper RNA handling conditions.

6. Deliverables

· Raw sequencing data (FastQ).

· Library QC reports (TapeStation or equivalent).

· Sequencing run metrics.

· Summary report describing yield, quality metrics, and deviations.

· Optional: project communication log.

7. Data Security Requirements

· Encrypted data delivery (SFTP, HTTPS, secure portal).

· No third‑party data sharing.

· Data retention and deletion schedule (vendor must state policy).

8. Schedule / Period of Performance

· Vendor must complete all work within 45 calendar days after receipt of samples.

· Period of Performance: TBD

9. Pricing Structure

· Per‑sample pricing for library preparation.

· Per‑lane pricing for sequencing.

· Any optional services clearly itemized.

10. Acceptance Criteria

· All 96 samples sequenced with ≥10M pass‑filter 1×75 bp reads.

· QC documentation complete and acceptable.

· All deliverables provided and verified by USGS.

· Data integrity confirmed; no corrupted or missing files.

11. General Terms

· Any method deviations must be approved by USGS.

· Vendor must notify USGS immediately of delays or quality issues.

All work must comply with applicable scientific and data-handling standards.

Statement of Work Introduction and Background The USGS requires a 1-year service maintenance agreement for an Agilent Triple Quadrupole gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer (GC/MS/MS) Scope The scope of this requirement is a stand-alone 1-year Service Agreement for the Agilent GC/MS/MS at USGS PCMSC. The 1-year Service Agreement will include telephone support with qualified technicians to isolate and resolve hardware and software problems, on-site hardware troubleshooting and repair with standard response time, and Service Center Repair (for components that cannot be repaired on-site). All labor, travel costs, and Genuine Agilent parts, including consumable parts required for maintenance and repair, are included under the Agreement. The Agreement also includes one Preventive Maintenance visit per year, including supplies and consumable parts required for repair, diagnostics, or that fail as a result of material defects or workmanship (limited to the amount necessary to return the instrument to operational status and performance specifications). Under the Service Agreement, if the instrument cannot be fixed, it will be replaced by the Service Provider.

Period of Performance October 27, 2026 – October 26, 2027 Technical Requirements Qualified Service Engineers will diagnose and repair operational issues with the Agilent Triple Quad GC/MS/MS upon request, on site or at a Service Center as warranted. The Service Engineer will perform preventative maintenance on an annual basis. This requires cleaning of the mass spectrometer source and replacing certain consumables such as filament, hydrocarbon/water and oxygen trap. An overall evaluation of the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer will be performed including a tune.

Deliverables and Performance Requirements The Service Engineer will communicate relevant updates to PCMSC lab staff before departing from on-site visits, and will provide detailed reports about instrument service, repair, maintenance, and optimum operating conditions (e.g., tune reports) as applicable by PDF to the PCMSC lab staff to ensure the Service results in instrument performance that is within acceptable measures.