Promega Corporation Blanket Purchase Agreement

This notice announces the intent by the U.S. Army Medical Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), 820 Chandler St, Fort Detrick, Maryland, 21702, to award a sole source Blanket Purchase Agreement to Promega Corporation under the statutory authority 6.302-1. This contract is for the purchase of customized forensic reagents and consumables for the identification of fallen U.S. service members, at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System’s – DoD DNA Operations (AFMES-DNA Ops).

The required reagents and supplies are used to support AFMES-DNA Ops mission of assisting AFMES and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) with human remains DNA testing for the identification of U.S. Service members as mandated under title 10 USC, chapter 75, 1471 and 10 USC, Chapter 76, 1501-1513; NDAA 2010, Section 541 (d)(2) and DODI 5154.30. AFMES-DNAOPS requires reagents and supplies that provide optimal performance for the extraction, quantification and amplification of DNA from human remains. To minimize the potential for contamination by extraneous DNA, Promega reagents and consumables are made using Good Laboratory Practice and Good Manufacturing Practice (GLP/GMP) process as well as following and being compliant with the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) ISO 18385 with minimizing the risk of human DNA contamination.

During proof of concept and development of the methods for the automated and manual extraction, quantification, amplification and analysis methods validated at AFMES-DNA Ops, the Promega reagents and consumables being purchased in this BPA were proven by the government to be: reproducible; robust; reliable from lot to lot; and free from human nuclear and mitochondrial DNA contamination. Vendors that produce contamination free, reproducible and reliable reagents are essential for processing forensic casework samples and meeting AFMES-DNA Ops mission requirements. Development, optimization and validation of the automated and manual extraction, quantification, amplification and analysis methodologies used to identify missing individuals were performed using the Promega reagents and consumables according to the ISO-17025 and Federal Bureau of Investigation - Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing (FBI-QAS) standards. The Promega reagents and consumables have been validated and in use in a variety of forensically validated methods for the past 17 years and the AFMES-DNA Ops requires sustained ability to purchase these plates for ongoing mission requirements.

These reagents and supplies have been designed, previously optimized, and validated specifically for forensic laboratories; including equipment-specific for the various procedures of DNA identification.  The reagents have been tested and are compatible for use with: Life Technologies Genetic analyzers Model 3500xl, Model 3730, and DNA thermocyclers Model 9700 and ProFlex; Promega Maxwell 16 Robotic platform; Beckman Coulter Biomek® FX robotic platform laboratory automation workstation; and Hamilton Robotics® STAR Line automated liquid handling workstations. The manufactures of the instruments above with regards to DNA Forensic testing provided a list of reagents that were developmentally validated for use on their instruments. Based on the compatibility of these reagents, AFMES DNA Operations following the Federal Bureau Investigations – Quality Assurance Standards (FBI-QAS) and ISO-17025 DNA Forensic accreditation standards validated all the reagents and supplies listed below for use with these instruments.  The FBI-QAS and ISO-17025 accreditation standard require a forensic laboratory to validate the platform, which consists of the reagents and instruments used to generate a DNA results. Competitor’s reagents although compatible with these instruments have not been validated by AFMES DoD DNA ops, and a new platform validation would take 9-12 months to perform at a significant cost to the government.

An award will be issued on a sole source basis. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is 325413 and the size standard is 1,250. 

This announcement fulfills the synopsis requirements under FAR 5.102(a)(6) and 5.203(a). USAMRAA intends to award a 5 year BPA no sooner than 15 days after publishing this synopsis. This Special Request for Information is not a request for competitive quotes. Information received in response to this notice will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether a competitive procurement is in the best interest of the Government. If no written responses are received by the expiration date listed in this notice, which reflects at least fifteen (15) days after the publication of this notice, the award will be issued as sole source. All questions and responses concerning this notice shall be emailed to Mr. Christopher L. Cook  at christopher.l.cook68.civ@mail.mil.