Illumina NextSeq 2000 Next-generation Sequencer

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to negotiate a contract on a sole source basis with Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA. The purpose of the contract is for the contractor to supply the Illumina NextSeq 2000 next-generation sequencer to the National Eye Institute (NEI). The Illumina NextSeq 2000 is required to replace an aging Illumina next-generation sequencer that will soon be obsolesced by the manufacturer, Illumina.  Purchase of the new NextSeq 2000 will reduce reagent costs and down time due to instrument break downs necessitating repairs.  The new instrument would eliminate the maintenance fluidics washes currently required on the existing system since the NextSeq 2000 is a dry instrument in which all the fluidics are contained in a removable cartridge.  The throughput scale of the NextSeq 2000 is more in line with current sequencing needs of the laboratory.  Purchase of the Illumina NextSeq 2000 would also enable the bioinformatics team within the laboratory to maintain their existing established protocols.  Sample preparation for the NextSeq 2000 would also permit the continued use of numerous protocols that have already been standardized and thoroughly tested.  Illumina instruments are recognized in the scientific literature as being the major player in the NGS arena and sequencing results are widely accepted and trusted in publications. The NextSeq 2000 is  manufactured and distributed solely by Illumina Inc.

Responses

The proposed acquisition action is for items and services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1 (b). If you believe you can provide the items or services, please forward capability statements to john.alozie@nih.gov by 5pm (ET) on Monday,  July 06, 2020 and reference solicitation number NIHOLAO-OD3-NOI-5723791.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract acquisition based upon responses to the notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

Any solicitation resulting from the analysis of information obtained will be announced to the public in Federal Business Opportunities in accordance with the FAR Part 5. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any nonproprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).