PacBio Revio sequencing

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Office of Acquisitions and Grants has issued a Special Notice for a genome sequencing project involving the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa). The agency intends to award a purchase order to UC Davis DNA Technologies Core and Genome Center for PacBio genome sequencing. This is a single-source procurement under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Parts 12 and 13, which governs commercial item acquisitions and simplified acquisition procedures. USGS has determined that UC Davis is the only source capable of providing the required services with necessary data comparability and consistency. The agency has extensive experience with the California Conservation Genomics Project, having prepared libraries and generated multiple flow cells of data over the past five years.

The primary objective of this Special Notice is to generate high-quality genome sequence data for the rough-skinned newt using PacBio Revio technology. Contractors must submit electronic responses to yangzhideng@usgs.gov no later than May 23, 2025, at 1500 PST, with hardcopy or web portal submissions being explicitly prohibited. The project requires generating sequence data with an N50 > 15,000 nucleotides and > 100 GB of data per flow cell, with a three-month performance period and raw data to be uploaded to the NCBI database by February 2027. While the notice is primarily directed at UC Davis, the agency notes that all responsible parties may submit a quotation, though the determination to compete the action remains solely at the government's discretion. The opportunity is categorized under NAICS code 541380 (Testing Laboratory) and PSC code B516 (Special Studies/Analysis- Animal/Fisheries), reflecting the specialized nature of the genomic research project.