VEID240014_SOW.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

The Virology Surveillance and Virology Research and Development Departments of the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit SOUTH (NAMRU SOUTH) own the following equipment: qTower, Miseq, Miniseq, and Miseq DX, all of which are used in Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) laboratory procedures.

Most NGS projects are based on pathogen discovery in human and non-human samples using the above sequencers. These platforms employ sequencing by synthesis technology, integrating cluster generation, amplification, sequencing, and data analysis into a single instrument. We use targeted, random and shotgun sequencing of public health pathogens such as respiratory viruses and arboviruses.

Due to time elapsed since their acquisition, high daily performance, and extremely costly price of brand-new instruments, our departments need to purchase/contract the extended warranty of one year for the Illumina instruments (MiSeq, S/N M02743, MiniSeq, S/N MN00730, and MiSeq DX, S/N M70986), which should include full coverage for parts replacement, reagents replacement upon hardware failure, onsite support, and both preventive and corrective maintenance. In the case of the qTower instrument (S/N 3107D-D181), our requirement is for its annual preventive maintenance. It should include the review of the fuse and electric system, review of instrument turn on and turn off, review of touch screen functioning, hardware tests, system performance tests, temperature verification tests, review of sample block sensor, instrument general testing, internal and external cleanup, and cleanup of lid.

NAMRU SOUTH requires the above detailed services for all four instruments considering it is essential to keep working at optimum and full capacity.

Contract needs to start on September 11, 2024, as current warranty period for equipment is good through September 10, 2024.